Her dream
by Thecooperation
Summary: Starts where epi 7.7 ends: Lorelai married Chris and has it now, the whole package, her dream. Hasn't she? JavaJunkies and Spoilers
1. Back with news

**This is the first story we ever wrote together, so we hope you all like it. It's our version how season 7 would turn out.**

**And we are also curious if you'll be able to tell who we are. There are about 4 people out there who know, please keep quiet!**

**Thanks to our beta!

* * *

****Chapter 1: Back with news **

Lorelai carried a sleeping Gigi, while Christopher was carrying their suitcases. They had just arrived back home from Paris, where they had visited Sherry, so that she could spend some time with her daughter. Lorelai had to admit that woman really had changed and she had tried very hard to get to know her daughter again.

So she and Chris had had a lot of time to themselves while Sherry was looking after Gigi and spending time with her.

They had had an amazing time, although the vacation didn't go as planned. Thinking about everything that had happened during the past year, Lorelai didn't expected to be married at that moment, especially not to Chris.

But it happened, and she was happy about it. With a smile she walked towards the car and waited for Chris to open the door, so she could place Gigi in the backseat. She buckled up the girl, while Christopher loaded their luggage into the trunk. She climbed in the passenger seat and watched how he sat down behind the steering wheel.

"What are you smiling about?" he asked her and gave her a flirtatious smile.

"Nothing." She said in a girly voice and shrugged.

"What are you smiling about?" she asked him then when he still was staring at her and had yet to start the car.

"Nothing", he smiled and gave her quick kiss.

"Gimme more!" she pouted and tried to pull him back in by his shirt.

"We have to go home" he told her and motioned to Gigi.

"But that's mean and I don't wanna go home without a kiss. Actually I will sit right here and pout the whole drive through and not say another word" she said while acting offended.

"Lore" he said and sighed.

"What? You are my husband, so gimme!" she claimed again.

"You are being annoying" Chris laughed and started the car. When the car started to roll Lorelai suddenly opened the door.

"Lore!" Chris yelled surprised.

"What? I told you we wouldn't leave without you giving me another kiss" she laughed and hopped up and down on her seat, happy that her trick had worked and he had stopped the car again. He sighed again, gave her another short kiss, pulled back and started the car again.

"Gimme more!" she said again and laughed.

"Oh Lore, come on, we will never get home like that!"

"I don't wanna go home, I want another kiss!" she laughed again, knowing that she would win.

After the sixth time she had won, the last time threatening him she would jump out of the moving car she turned around to stare out of the window and stopped her babbling. She never thought she would be happy again, definitely not with Chris. After Sherry had gotten pregnant with Gigi, she had given up on the two of them. And when she and Luke had finally gotten together, she didn't expect that they would ever be apart. Well, she realized, things never turn out the way you expect anyway and then pushed back the thoughts about Luke. She didn't want to think about him. He had pushed her away, he had let her walk away, he didn't fight for her, she reminded herself and gave Chris another smile.

"You want to go to your place or mine?" she asked.

"Well, I would say yours, because we still have to move our stuff in there, but let's go to Yale. Let's go tell Rory first." He said and she smiled at him and he smiled back.

"Yale it is." She said and stared out of the window again. In the mirror she saw the sleeping Gigi and she was looking forward to seeing Rory. This was like it was supposed to be: Father, mother, kids. Her dream had come true.

* * *

Chris was the one carrying Gigi now and they were standing in front of Rory's new apartment. Lorelai had to admit that she was nervous. Everything that had happened, had happened so fast. It was as if the past few weeks had gone faster than light. It was now that she was standing in front of Rory's apartment door, that she felt nervous. How would Rory feel about this? Would Rory be happy that her parents finally got married. It took them 22 years, so she should be happy right? She just had to be happy, because this was perfect.

Chris was completely oblivious to Lorelai's nervousness and rang the doorbell, waiting impatiently for his daughter to open the door.

"What are you doing here?" Rory opened the door and was surprised to see her parents standing there.

"Did you just come back from Paris?" she asked and they both pulled her into a hug. Rory noticed the giddy smile Lorelai wore and also Chris seemed very happy. Lorelai nodded when she let her daughter go.

"Can we come in?"

"Of course." Rory stepped aside and let her parents in. She told them to sit down on the couch, when she walked into her small kitchen to make them some coffee. She waited until the coffee was finished before she joined her parents in the living room.

"So, how was Paris? Did you go to the Louvre and Montmartre? Did you see the Mona Lisa? How was Sacre Coeur? Did you like it?" Rory started, the giddy feeling from Lorelai infecting her as well.

"Nah, well, not everyone is such a nerd like you. We walked around a bit and ate some great French desert. Oh, did you know that they put real chocolate into the Mousse au Chocolat over there? And it's even fluffier than Sookie's. I told Chris that I wanna take a bath in it, but he wouldn't allow me." Lorelai babbled and Chris took her hand to stop her, without success.

"And then the French Cheese? I mean it was good when we went backpacking through Europe, but add another fifty bucks per piece and you've got the experience of a lifetime! Paris is really so much better when you actually have some money to spend." Lorelai giggled.

"So she spend all of your money on food?" Rory asked Chris.

"Nah she spend half of the money on food, the rest she spend for clothes, shoes and tips for the room-service, which she needed every five minutes, because they had to bring her coffee" Chris laughed.

"So you had a good time?" Rory asked with a smile.

"God, yeah it was so romantic. We had dinner every night in a fabulous restaurant from where you could see the Eiffel tower. They even had little Eiffel tower chocolates for desert" Lorelai said with a dreamy expression.

"I always thought the Swiss is known for it's chocolate!" Rory said.

"That's what I told you, see! That's what I told you!" Lorelai pointed her index finger right into Chris face and bounced up and down on the couch. Rory gave her mother a strange look, but Chris only laughed, and Lorelai didn't seem to notice.

"You seem very giddy" Rory said then.

"That's because I am" Lorelai giggled.

"Wow, you really must have had an amazing time" Rory concluded and smiled. She was happy that her parents seemed to be happy.

"Actually there is something we need to tell you" Chris started and his smile got wider.

"What?" Rory asked suspiciously. Suddenly she didn't like the smiles that her parents wore that much anymore.

"We got married" Lorelai blurted out and showed her the ring, she had hidden behind her back the whole time. Rory was stunned. She felt like an anvil had just fallen on her head, but she smiled.

"That's, uh… great" she finally forced out and was tackled by her parents into a hug, the next second.

"See, I told you she would be thrilled." Chris said to Lorelai.

"You are thrilled right?" he wanted reassurance from Rory then.

"Yeah, sure. I am thrilled, happy, ecstatic, all at the same time" Rory said, very unconvincingly, which seemed unnoticed by her parents, though.

"Aw, that's so sweet hon'" Lorelai gushed and pulled her into another hug.

"Rory where can I put Gigi down?" Chris asked then, because his arm was getting tired from the sleeping child.

"Um, put her into the bedroom. It's right over there" Rory said, pointed in the direction of her bedroom, but her eyes never left her mother.

"I'll fill her in about the proposal in the meantime" Lorelai winked at Chris when he stood up and left the room.

"Actually, it was so romantic! We were at that restaurant we told you about and…" Lorelai started, but Rory interrupted her.

"Mom!"

"What? Should I start at the proposal directly? Right, okay, no set up. We were eating and suddenly..." again Rory interrupted her, more harshly this time.

"Mom, have you lost your mind?" she asked and a bit of anger swung in her words, but it was rising steadily inside of her.

"Rory.." Lorelai looked at her daughter and had no clue what she was talking about.

"How could you marry dad? How could you? You didn't plan this! You didn't look for a wedding dress, you didn't send out invitations. You had no guests and no bridesmaids. You didn't even care that I wasn't there, your own daughter! But how could you do this? Not a year ago you were engaged to Luke and you love him and you desperately wanted to marry him and now you just married dad? Is this a joke? Then please tell me it is the first of April! You two can't be serious. You've only been together for a few months and I honestly always thought this was just a fling for you. That you were trying things out with dad as a distraction from Luke. And now you two are married? Mom…." Rory trailed off when her father came back. Again he was oblivious to the pained expression on Lorelai's face, which she wore since Rory had said Luke's name and he also stayed oblivious to Rory's serious expression.

"God, Gigi is out cold. The jetlag really got to her. I think she will be awake all night. You told her about the proposal?" he asked, placed a kiss on Lorelai's cheek and sat down beside her.

"Yeah sure" she smiled and pulled his arm around her shoulder, wanting to show Rory how happy she felt.

* * *

-xxx That evening xxx-

April was staying over at Luke's for another week, because her mother was still with her grandmother. She enjoyed staying at her father's and felt more comfortable around him every day. She liked helping him at the diner. If she was lucky, he allowed her to run the cash register. And when she did, he allowed her to keep the tips. They were closing up now and April helped him with putting the chairs on the tables.

"Hey Dad?"

"Yeah?" he asked and heaved another chair onto the table.

"Can I use the bathroom upstairs?"

"Of course, since when do you have to ask? We're almost done here anyway. I'll be right there with you."

April nodded and climbed the stairs to Luke apartment.

Luke shook his head as he watched his daughter leave. A couple of years ago, he thought, he would never have wanted a kid. And now he couldn't imagine his life without one. With a small smile forming on his lips he finished closing the diner. He checked to see if all the doors were locked and then climbed the stairs towards his apartment. He was surprised to find the whole place dark.

"April?" He switched on the lights and went to check her bed. She wasn't there so he figured she was still in the bathroom.

"Do you want to watch a movie or something?"

He sat down on the couch and switched on the TV. He flipped through the channels for a few minutes, glancing at the bathroom door occasionally. Suddenly he got worried and walked towards the door. He knocked twice.

"April, are you okay?"

"Go away." Came the harsh reply from inside. He shook his head, wondering what was wrong.

"April?"

"I said go away. Leave me alone."

"Come on, you can talk to me." He said, surprised what brought this on. Everything had been okay when she had gone upstairs, or?

"No."

He thought for a while and felt pretty helpless. He had no idea what was going on with her.

"April, what is it?" he tried again

"Leave me alone." Was the only reply he got.

He shook his head and walked away. He waited for 5 more minutes and when she still didn't come out, he picked up the phone. He thought about calling Anna, but there was nothing she could do from there and she had enough trouble already with her mother. So he called the only other person he knew, who might know what to do.

* * *

Lorelai was still shocked from her conversation with Rory earlier. She knew Chris knew nothing about it, and she wouldn't tell him. He put Gigi into bed, and went upstairs to their bedroom afterwards. He told her to come upstairs, but she'd told him she wasn't tired yet and wanted to stay downstairs to watch TV.

She couldn't find anything good and was happy when the phone rang. She flew up and answered.

"Rory?"

"Sorry, no. It's me, Luke." Lorelai felt like she was punched in the gut. It was so good to hear his voice again and her breath caught in her throat and she couldn't say anything for a moment.

"Oh hey. What's up?" She was surprised how casually she got it out and desperately wanted to know why he was calling her, especially this late at night. Maybe he knew about her and Chris?

"Something's wrong with April. She locked herself up in the bathroom and she won't come out. She's been in there for half an hour already and she won't talk to me." He told her with a hint of desperation in his voice.

She sighed in relief. Maybe he didn't know after all.

"You asked her to come out?"

"No, I told her to stay in there. Of course, I told her to come out, but she told me to leave her alone."

"Okay…." She stretched the word as she thought about things that could be wrong with April.

"Hey Luke?"

"Mmm..?" he grunted and she knew that he was still staring at the bathroom door.

"Do you know if April has started her period already?"

"What?" he nearly screamed into the phone and she held it a bit further away from her ear.

"Does she already have her period, you know, as in menstruation, aunt flow, the red…" she started to ramble.

"She is way too young for that" he said and sounded confident.

"Luke, she is nearly thirteen years old, I got mine when I was twelve. She's at that age now. So does she already..?" he cut her off, before she could finish her sentence.

"I don't know. I don't think so." He said, clearly uncomfortable. Lorelai could picture him rubbing the back of his neck with one hand, his face beet red.

"Then maybe she does now? Rory locked herself in the bathroom for a full day until she would tell me what was wrong with her."

"So it could be…" he said.

"Yeah. It could be. I assume you don't have any sanitary products, like pads laying around?"

He rolled his eyes.

"Why would I?"

"I don't know. Maybe you use them to dry your dishes, or something, who knows. You should get some" she quipped.

"Where? Everything is closed by now" Luke said, the desperation rising in his voice.

"Well, I could give you some, if you want, that is" she said, suddenly shy.

"Would you?"

"Of course." she nodded. "I'll be right there."

She ran upstairs and grabbed a pack of pads from the bathroom. She glanced at the bedroom door that was closed. She didn't feel like explaining where she was going, so she just left without saying anything.

She drove her car towards the diner and Luke was waiting for her, the diner door unlocked.

"Thank God you're here." He exclaimed when he saw her.

"No problem." She said the shyness still there and followed him upstairs and knocked on the bathroom door.

"April, it's Lorelai. Can you open the door for me?" she asked.

"Go away." came from the inside.

"Honey, I know what's going on with you and I'm here to help. Just open the door okay?" Lorelai glanced at Luke, who was waiting impatiently and gave him a little smile.

After a few seconds they heard the door unlock and April opened the door a little bit.

"Are you sure you can help me?"

"Positive." Lorelai glanced at Luke one more time before she entered the bathroom, closing the door behind her again.

"You got your dad pretty worried out there" she said and handed April the package.

"I don't wanna talk about this with him." April admitted.

"I can understand, but he was really worried." Lorelai smiled at the girl who should have been her step-daughter by now. Her chest tightened.

"I just feel so weird talking about this with him."

"Why don't you see it from the scientific side? It's a normal reaction of your body when your monthly cycle is over and a new one starts"

"True. According to the books it's a pretty interesting topic. Did you know that a woman only looses a half cup of blood during one menstruation?" April was immediately in her element.

"No, not really. But I am happy to know that now" she smiled at April and stroked her over her hair.

"I better get going and leave you to your business" Lorelai said and pointed to the package. April nodded.

"You know how it works?" she asked the girl and opened the door to step out.

"Not yet, but the instructions on the back are very detailed" April smiled. "Thanks Lorelai" she said then.

"You're welcome" Lorelai replied and left the bathroom.

Luke waited outside impatiently.

"She got her first period. You're daughter is a woman now" Lorelai told Luke with a small smile. She knew that this was a scary experience for all parents and she remembered how freaked out she had been when it had happened with Rory.

"But she's just a kid" Luke said and looked as helpless as he felt.

"Not anymore" Lorelai said. Luke only looked at her and for the first time since she had stepped into the diner she really looked at him. He looked good, even in the sweat-pants and T-shirt he wore, his sleeping clothes.

His hair was cut and his stubble was there as always. He looked the same. Well, almost. Something about his eyes was different, but she couldn't tell what exactly. That moment she wanted to go over, and hold him tight, let her hands glide over his cheek and share his worries about April. But he wouldn't let her. He had pushed her away. He didn't want her in April's life. And she was married now, to Chris.

"I should go" she said quietly, after a long silent moment, where they stared at each other.

"Thank you" he told her with honesty.

"No problem" she shrugged.

"Maybe I can make it up to you with a cup of coffee? Come by the diner tomorrow" he said and smiled that boyish smile she had always loved so much.

"I can't" she said then, barely audible.

"Oh, um, if you don't have time tomorrow... I mean... I didn't mean it has to be tomorrow, it could also, um…" he stopped when she just looked at him and didn't stop his rambling.

"I married Chris" she blurted out the next second and then bolted out of the apartment. Luke just stood there and stared blankly ahead. He must have misheard. She didn't say…

"Dad, I'm sorry" his thoughts were interrupted the next second when April came out of the bathroom and gave him a hug.

** We would ge grateful for a review!**

**TBC**


	2. Cheer for me

**So, thank you again for your reviews and we hope you all like the next chapter and tell us what you think about it.**

**Cause nobody was able to tell who we are yet we are going to give out hints. Here's the first one:**

**Hint 1: One of us is from the Netherlands, the other from Germany**

**Thanks to our beta!

* * *

**

Chapter 2: Cheer for me

It was 3 o'clock in the afternoon and it was quiet in the diner. Besides Luke and two tourists at the corner table by the window the place was completely abandoned. Luke had sent Caesar and Lane home for a break until dinner rush. He had no problem handling the place on his own.

When the bell above the door suddenly rang, he looked up. He expected it to be April, and was surprised when it was her mother instead.

"Anna," he said surprised

"Hello Luke," she greeted him.

"I didn't know you were coming home."

She walked towards the counter and sat down on one of the stools.

"Coffee?" She nodded.

"Yes please."

He turned around and filled a cup with coffee placing it in front of Anna.

"April's not here yet. I'm sure she'll be here anytime now," he tried to start a conversation.

"That's okay. I wanted to talk to you anyway," she clarified, took another sip of coffee and placed the cup back on the counter.

"Everything went fine," he said, somehow having the urge to defend himself. There was something in her tone he didn't like. He started telling about all the time he and April spend together. A little uncomfortable he even told her about April having her first period.

"So she locked herself up in the bathroom?" Anna sounded surprised, but he could also see something like regret in her eyes.

"Yeah. I didn't know what to do so I called Lorelai," he admitted a bit sheepishly.

"You what?" she shot him an angry look.

"I didn't know what to do. You were halfway across the country. Lane wasn't there, Liz was already asleep. Lorelai was the only person who could help. She talked to April and gave her that stuff… you know." He gestured with his hands, to make it clear what he meant and Anna had to smile about that.

"So how is she?" she wanted to know, the smile still present on her face.

"After that incident she was fine. Maybe a little more cranky then normal, but hey, that's normal right?" he searched for reassurance from her, that April's crankiness hadn't been his fault.

"Yeah," She agreed and then went silent and thought for a moment.

"Luke, listen, I need to tell you something." She said in a serious tone.

"What?" He noticed the change in her tone and already knew he wouldn't like what was coming next.

"I've thought about this for a long time, and I don't really know how to tell you this so I'm just going to drop it upon you. April and I are moving to New Mexico." Luke stared at her for some seconds

"What?" he exclaimed he voice louder than intended.

"My mother isn't doing so well. She can't live on her own any longer and I don't want to put her in a retirement home. So April and I are going to move there so she can stay with us," Anna explained.

"How about she moves over here?" he tried to reason with her.

"Oh no, I can't do that. She's been living there for half her life. I can't take her out of that house Luke. You have to understand," she said and the whole thing sounded lame to him.

He sighed. Not really knowing what to say. He thought about a proper response, about a way to prevent this from happening when April entered the diner.

"Mom!" She dropped her backpack next to the door and ran into her mother's arms. "I didn't know you were coming home."

"I wanted to surprise you honey." Over April's shoulder Anna gave Luke a pointed look that told him that the conversation was over and he wasn't really keen on discussing this with April present anyway.

* * *

Lorelai and Chris were sitting on her couch, watching a movie. Gigi was asleep in Rory's room, what nowadays was more her room. Lorelai let it happen and didn't tell Chris how she felt about Gigi moving into Rory's room. Plus, it was the only room in the house Gigi could sleep in anyway. They couldn't let her sleep on the couch and still watch TV after Gigi went to sleep, and she definitely didn't want the girl in her bed at night.

"Hey Lore?" Chris asked and interrupted the silence.

"Yeah?" she asked, still watching the movie and not in the mood for anything besides that.

"I think we should go to that festival," he demanded.

"What festival?" she asked still distracted by the TV.

"This knit-a-thon, there a big banner in the middle of the town," he clarified.

"Ah, that. I'm participating," she answered still not looking at him.

"Good. I have no idea what happens there, but I'm curious to find out. When are we leaving?" he asked.

"You wanna come?" she asked and faced him for the first time.

"Sure, it'll be fun," he shrugged.

"Ah, Chris, I'm sure you'll be bored. Why don't you stay here? Or do something with Gigi? Go to the playground? The weather is good. It's cold, but it's not raining," she smiled.

"Why should I be bored? I talked to my mother this morning and she'll watch Gigi this evening. We could spend some time together at the festival, just as. And I could meet your friends and neighbors," he tried to convince her.

"Chris, honey, really. I'll go to the festival alone and you'll spend some time with your mother and your daughter, okay?" she smiled and kissed him.

"Lore, what is this? Why don't you want me to come with you? I'm your husband. We've been married for three weeks now and I haven't met anyone from this town yet. Are you ashamed of me?" he asked her upset.

"I know that we're married. God, you don't need to remind me every damn day!" she yelled and sprang off the couch.

"Obviously I need to, because you act like we are just casually dating. You can't keep me out of your life, that's not how a marriage works," he yelled back.

"I am not keeping you out of my life! You moved in here, remember? With Gigi and all of your stuff, so don't tell me I am keeping you out of my life," she tried to defend herself.

"Yeah, I moved in here, but I never got to meet your neighbors. You keep me away from the inhabitants of this town on purpose. Why don't you want me to meet them? As your husband and a new member of this town I have a right to meet them!" he was still yelling.

"I am not keeping you from the neighbors! I think you are paranoid"

"Of course you are. We go to the cinema in Hartford…"

"Because they have newer films"

"We go shopping in the mall down in Hartford"

"Because they have a bigger selection"

"We go to restaurants in Litchfield and Woodbridge"

"Because they have the better food" she argued.

"That's bull, Lore and you know it. Sookie is one of the best chefs in the area, she could have made us something. But no, you don't want me in the Inn, you don't want me at the supermarket or the restaurants around here."

"That is not true," she said and even to her it sounded lame.

"Do the townspeople hate me that much that you don't want to be seen with me?" he asked more quietly now, but still upset.

"Oh hon', they don't hate you. They don't know you. I just don't want you to get scared away by the crazy people around here" she searched for an explanation for her behavior.

"That could never happen. I love you, Lore. And if they really scare me, then we just have to move" he smiled sweetly and hugged her.

"Move, yeah, right. Really easy," she said in a strangled tone and hugged him back, so he couldn't see her face. "You really wanna come with me? Although it will be crazy and boring and loud and everybody will be drunk?" she asked him when she pulled back from the hug.

"I really wanna come with you Lore. And come on, it will be fun. You, and me lot's of crazy people to mock and booze. It'll be great," he said encouragingly and kissed her.

"You're right," she said, unconvinced, but kissed him back.

* * *

Gigi was spending the night Francine's so Lorelai and Chris had the evening all to themselves and as promised Lorelai took him to the knit-a-thon festival. The whole town was decorated with wool. Everywhere you looked, you saw wool, of creatures made out of wool. Every tree in the town center was packed in wool blankets, and even the gazebo was decorated in many different colors.

"Is this what town festivals are always like?" Chris looked around in amazement.

"Oh yeah, although this is definitely not close to the largest festival ever given," he shook his head in disbelieve.

"I wonder why you like it so much," he said with raised eyebrows while he looked around and took the whole scene in, like he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"What's not to like? And I warned you, by the way, so I don't wanna hear any complains," she scolded playfully, gave him a peck and tugged on his hand.

"Come on, I want to participate in the knitting contest," Lorelai told him then.

"The what?" He looked next to him but Lorelai was already gone.

She was standing in front of one of the stands and he had no choice but to follow her. He looked around and recognized a few people. Lorelai's friend and co-worker Sookie and who he assumed was her husband were selling spaghetti. And there was this guy who always acted crazy selling knitting needles. And in the middle of the square was a small pet zoo. He wondered if he could put Lorelai's crazy dog in there at the end of the evening and have him taken away. The animal was driving him crazy.

"Chris," Lorelai was yelling his name from the stand so he had no choice but to follow her.

"Hey," he said when he had reached her.

"What were you doing?" she wanted to know.

"Looking around," he shrugged.

"But you have to cheer for me!" she pouted and he slung his arms around her waist. Then he shook his head, bout how bad he had it and smiled.

"Sure," he said and kissed her.

"Hey Lorelai, who's your friend?" Miss Patty was standing behind the stand.

"Oh, you remember Rory's father right?"

"Oh, how could I forget such a handsome young man?" she smiled seductively.

"I'm sorry Miss Patty? Was it?" he asked with a smile.

"Yes, handsome. I am honored that you remember my name"

"My pleasure, but I have to disappoint you, I'm taken," he said and showed her his wedding ring.

"Aw, that's a shame. Where's that wife of yours?" Miss Patty asked suspiciously. This couldn't be true.

"Standing right next to me" Chris smiled proudly, placed a kiss on Lorelai's cheek and missed the look of shock crossing her face when he told Miss Patty that they were married.

"Oh.. uhm.. how nice," Miss Patty said and gave them a fake smile.

"Uhm, would you two excuse me? I have to go and find Babette," she excused herself then and hurried off.

"You didn't tell them we're married?" Chris turned to Lorelai, after they were alone again.

"Never had the opportunity to," Lorelai shrugged it off and then kissed him to distract him.

"I am going up there now, otherwise the contest will start without me," she said then and left him standing alone.

While Lorelai was on the stage and started in the fast-knit-a-thon, Chris was down in the crowd cheering for her. While he was cheering he missed the looks the townspeople gave him at first and then muted his cheers a bit, because he became scared by the hostile stares they gave him. He had no idea how to act around them and how to get on the good side with them, so he decided to just ignore them at one point. Lorelai had asked him to cheer for her so that's what he did.

Halfway through the competition Lorelai looked up, when she heard that it had gotten more silent somehow and she found Chris standing alone in front of the stage watching her and the others, while the rest of the townspeople had moved about ten meters to the back, and were completely silent, except for hushed whispers and very telling stares in Chris' and her direction.

"Thank you very much Patty," Lorelai muttered angrily, but kept knitting.

The moment the competition was over the townspeople started to pack their things, cleaned up and tore down their booths and took their punch and marched off to Luke's, giving Lorelai and Chris a last angry look.

"I thought there would be more?" Chris asked confused when he saw them packing their things.

"Well, you must have misunderstood," Lorelai smiled at him and then showed him the waffle stand Kirk had still open.

* * *

Luke was sitting in his apartment and tried to ignore everything that was going on outside. He was sitting in his leather chair with a bottle of beer in his hands, forgetting about what Anna told him earlier. There was no way he could allow her to take away his daughter. He just had no idea how to stop her….

Luke was suddenly disturbed from his thoughts when the phone rang. He stood up and answered.

"Hello?"

"Luke?" Luke flinched when he heard TJ's unmistaken voice at the other side of the line.

"What is it TJ?"

"Liz had the baby," TJ informed him and it wasn't clear if he sounded more excited or freaked out.

"She what? What hospital are you at?" Luke asked, springing up and grabbed his keys. The phone still at his ear.

"We never made it to the hospital. Liz decided yesterday that she wanted to have the baby here, so we called the midwife when the contractions started and there ya go" TJ enlightened him.

"Have you lost your minds? Do you know what could have happened to her? That is dangerous and unsanitary!" Luke lectured TJ.

"Don't I know about the last part. The whole bedroom is a mess. Everywhere is something bloody or gooey, it's yucky," TJ complained.

"I never heard a grown man use the word "Yucky"," Luke muttered.

"But ya know, Liz is happy and little Donatus is happy, so I'm happy," TJ went on.

"Donatus? You named my nephew Donatus?" Luke asked and had to sit down again.

"No, but it's kind of a cool nickname, don't ya think?" TJ asked.

"You know what? I'm coming over, this talk is getting me nowhere. And I wanna see with my own two eyes that Liz and the baby are okay" Luke told his brother-in-law.

"Okay, but prepare yourself for the most huzzah-baby you've ever seen!" TJ said proudly.

"Huzzah-baby? I'm ending this call now TJ. See ya!" Luke shook his head and hung up.

* * *

Luke walked through the town square towards Liz' and TJ's house. He still couldn't believe that she had had the baby at home, with a midwife. That was so irresponsible. What if something had gone wrong? But he realized that nothing went wrong, and that the baby was born healthy. He couldn't wait to see his new nephew.

"Hey," he looked up when he heard someone talk to him. He was staring directly into Lorelai's eyes.

"Hey" he greeted back, his throat suddenly dry.

"Where are you up to? This doesn't seem like a place you want to hang out tonight," Lorelai tried to joke.

"No it isn't. I wasn't…. I'm on my way to Liz's. She just had her baby," he informed her and sounded proud.

"Liz had a baby? You never told me she was pregnant," Lorelai was stunned.

He gave her an apologetic look. "Well, she was… pregnant, I mean. And she just had a baby. A boy," he smiled proudly.

"Congratulations Uncle Luke," she smiled at him.

"Thanks," he smiled back slightly.

"What's up? You don't seem happy? Aren't you happy about the baby?"

"I am. It's just…."

"What? Is something wrong with April?"

"No, she's fine. It's just, Anna wants to move April to New Mexico."

"What? Why?"

"Because her mother lives there and she's not doing so well. And she doesn't want to put her mother in a retirement home so now she wants to move there to take care of her mother."

"Can she do that?"

Luke raised his shoulders. "I guess."

"Luke, no." She shook her head. "You're April's father. You have rights. You shouldn't allow Anna to move April across the country. She can't do that without your permission."

"You think?"

"Absolutely. I know! You have to step up Luke. It's about time you step up against that woman. She's just doing whatever she wants and doesn't consider you at all."

"I don't know. That's a bit radical."

"No it's not and you know it. You have to step up Luke. You shouldn't allow her to walk all over you the way she's doing. You're April's father." She put a hand on Luke's shoulder. "Just make sure Anna knows that."

He smiled and nodded. But his smile faded when he saw how Christ walked up to them. Lorelai quickly removed her hand. The moment was over.

"Hey, what are you two talking about?" Chris put his arm protectively around Lorelai's shoulder and gave Luke a hostile glance, which clearly said 'Back off!'.

"Nothing. Where did you go?" She looked up at Chris.

"I was talking to this guy at the waffle stand. He refused to sell me a waffle, I wonder why" He shot Luke another angry look.

"Hey Lorelai. I better go see Liz now. Bye"

"Bye Luke" She nodded and gave Luke an apologetic look. She watched until Luke was out of their hearing range until she turned to Chris.

"What the hell was that?"

"What was what?" he played dumb and Lorelai shook his arm off her shoulder.

"This 'she's mine' attitude you just showed here" she told him.

"Well, sorry, that I don't feel that good when I see you all cozy with your ex-boyfriend. I should be the one asking what that was!" he yelled back.

"That is none of your business. I brought you to this festival like you wanted, I presented you to the town and you told them that we are married. But I tell you something: I can talk to whoever I want."

"One thing doesn't have anything to do with the other. You owe me an explanation about this thing with the diner-guy!"

"I owe you nothing and his name is Luke!" she yelled at him and then marched off, left him standing in the middle of the town, while the townies watched him from the inside of the diner, waiting for Kirk, who was already making his way to the diner, knowing he heard everything.

* * *

Luke entered his apartment, happy after holding his nephew for the first time. It was hard to believe that TJ was the father of that innocent little boy. When he looked up at Luke with his big blue eyes and made a fist around Luke's index finger he seemed so smart. He couldn't help but smile when he thought back to that moment. Then his thoughts went back a little farther. '_You're April's father. You have rights. You shouldn't allow Anna to move April across the country. She can't do that without your permission'_ he heard Lorelai's voice in his head.

Maybe Lorelai is right. She has kept April from him for twelve years. He will not allow her to take her away for the next twelve.

Suddenly determined he picked up the phone and dialed the familiar number.

"Anna Nardini," he heard a familiar voice.

"Listen. April is my daughter as well, and I will not allow you to take her away from me. You've kept her from me for too long already, and you have no right to take her away from me again. Not now we've finally found each other. We're doing great together. I love her and I don't want to pry, but I think she loves me too….," he started without waiting.

"Luke..." Anna tried to interrupt him.

"No, I'm the one talking now. For the past year I've done everything you told me. By doing that I ruined the most important relationship I've ever had. That happened and I can't take that back now, but I will not let you ruin my relationship with April. If I were you I would reconsider moving to New Mexico and bringing your mother to you, because trust me when I tell you that it's not going to happen. You are not taking April away from me. I am her father and I have rights too. I'd take you to court if I have to." And with that, he hung up, without waiting for a reply.

**T.B.C. **


	3. Friends and a fistfight

So... very little reviews for poor little us... :(

Here is your next hint: We are both 22 years old

* * *

**  
Chapter 3: Friends and a fistfight**

Lorelai walked around town, enjoying the Christmas decorations. Christmas was definitely her favorite time of the year. It had been as long as she could remember. Her parent's Christmas party was the only party she enjoyed going to on a yearly basis.

Lucky for her it was snowing. Stars Hollow was covered in a nice blanket of white snow. Lorelai breathed in the cool air, enjoying how it felt in her nostrils. She smiled and for just a second felt completely happy. It was as if she was the only person in the world. Everything around her disappeared. It was just her in her beautiful white world. It was as if she was a child again. The child that received snow as a present. It was still her present. The one thing in the world that could make her truly happy.

"Hey."

Lorelai was shaken out of her thoughts and opened her eyes. She looked into a familiar pair of eyes and she blinked twice, making sure she wasn't still dreaming.

"Are you enjoying your present?" Luke asked, although he already knew the answer. For a second he was thinking how she had dragged him out of bed for the first snow when they had been together. Now they weren't together anymore and she was married. But still here they were, enjoying the first snow together.

She smiled. "You bet I am. It's the most beautiful thing in the world you know."

He shook his head. "I still can't see why you like it so much. It's so bright and so cold…." He started, but with a smile.

"Oh Luke, you're such a baby." She teased him and laughed. It was nice to see him.

"I'm not the baby here." He shot back and pointed to the stroller.

For a second she thought he was talking about her, but then she noticed the pink stroller standing next to him.

"What's this?" she asked and raised her eyebrows.

"This is my nephew. Liz' kid." Luke said with a proud smile on his face.

"A nephew, in a pink stroller?" she raised her eyebrows, looking slightly confused.

"Tell me about it. I believe it was TJ who picked it out. Can you believe he picked out a pink stroller for his son?" he started to rant, but then stopped.

"Maybe they bought it before the baby was born and he was hoping to get a daughter," she tried.

Luke shook his head. "No, they didn't buy this stroller until last week. Can you believe that?" he said.

"Sad to say, but yes I can," she laughed. "What's his name? I hope not something like George the second, or Henry the fifth," she asked and Luke had to laugh.

"God, no. His name is Simon, although TJ insists calling him Donatus, cause he thinks it's a cute nickname."

"What has Donatus to do with Simon?" Lorelai asked confused and Luke only raised his eyebrows and gave her a pointed look.

"Okay, I probably don't want to know the answer if there is one. So tell me, Simon like the boy from 7th Heaven?"

"Seventh Heaven?" Luke was clueless.

"Family series with a minister, his wife and lots and lots of kids and even more I love yous?!" Lorelai tried and got nervous when she realized that she might have said something wrong when Luke looked down, concentrating on his shoes.

"Okay, so no new Simon Camden. So Simon like the fruit ice guy?" she tried to get over the awkwardness.

"His name was Simon?" Luke asked and looked up.

"Yeah, at least that's what Bob told me when they were here for Thanksgiving." She explained.

"Mmm, interesting, but I think he is more a Simon like in "Simon and Garfunkle" Luke smiled.

"Liz listens to Simon and Garfunkle?" Lorelai said, keeping her mouth open in exaggerated surprise.

"No, Liz doesn't. TJ does. They had the agreement that TJ would decide the name for a boy and Liz the one for a girl. So he should be lucky with Simon. God knows what else could have come to TJ's crazy mind." Luke explained. Then an uncomfortable silence set in and they both focused on the boy in the stroller. After a while Luke broke the silence.

"So, what are you doing, besides enjoying the snow?" he wanted to know, to keep the talk going and keep her with him for a bit longer. He didn't want her to go yet.

"I was going to check out the Christmas festival," she said and pointed to the decorations with her right hand.

"It won't start until half an hour from now." Luke said, only that something was said. And maybe because he hoped they could spend the half an hour together.

"I know," she nodded and looked him in the eyes for a second. But before Luke could say anything the baby started crying in his stroller.

"I better get going I guess. He'll stop crying as long as the stroller is moving," he said, a bit disappointed that their time was cut short now.

"Oh, eh, okay. Sure… I guess I'll see you later?" she asked, hope echoing in her voice.

"Why don't you walk with me. You still have half an hour anyway," Luke proposed, the hope in her eyes giving him the courage to ask.

"I'd like that," she smiled happily.

Luke started pushing the stroller and Lorelai walked next to him. "So, where have you been up to lately? I haven't seen you around much," he started some more small-talk

"Oh well, you know, work. For some reason people want to get away before the holidays," she stayed on the safe subject and left anything about Chris aside.

He nodded, kept pushing the stroller, but didn't say anything.

"How are things with April? Have you talked to Anna yet?" she asked, really interested in what was going on with April.

"I made it very clear that I won't allow her to move April across the country. And I have a feeling she heard me. Although I think I will consult a layer. You know, safe is safe"

Lorelai smiled. "Good for you and I think seeing a lawyer would be good. Although you don't like them."

They walked around for over an hour. Luke pushed the stroller while Lorelai was striding next to him. They talked the whole time, but both avoiding any memories or Chris as a subject. If you wouldn't know better, you'd think that they were a happy new family, with a daughter and a pink stroller.

Everybody noticed them. Most of the Stars Hollow people were just happy to see Luke and Lorelai talking again. They knew that Lorelai was married to Chris now, but it was good to see the two of them on speaking terms again. Or even better than that, as friends. And they hoped that maybe, just maybe she would wake up, dump Chris and reconcile with Luke.

Unfortunately, there was someone else who saw them, someone who wasn't as happy to see them together.

* * *

Lorelai came home late that night. For the first time in weeks she felt happy. She and Luke were finally getting along. As friends. She hoped that things could go back to the way they used to be for them. Before they became more than friends. 

After Luke had dropped of Simon back at Liz' he had joined her for a while at the festival and she even got him to drink a glass of punch.

They had cheered for the snow man contests and had laughed together when Kirk had accidentally hit Taylor with a snowball he had intended to throw at a little boy, who had been teasing him about his ridiculous Christmas-tree costume.

The house was dark and she figured Chris and Gigi were both asleep. She put her coat on the coat rack and kicked off her shoes. With her purse still in her hand she entered the living room, switching the light on. Her hand flew to her chest when she saw Chris sitting on the couch. "What are you doing in the dark? You scared me half to…." She stopped when she saw the look on his face.

"Honey, what's wrong? Is something wrong with Gigi?" she guessed, although she couldn't shake off the feeling that he was angry at her.

"Where have you been?" he asked in a harsh tone.

"Out. Taking a walk in the snow. Chris I told you!" she said, trying to stay calm and not get upset.

"Oh, and you were walking around with Sookie or Michel?" he said and got off the couch, walked over to her and glared at her angrily. Lorelai took a step back, out of reflex.

"I was alone. I told you. I said I was going to take a walk by myself and enjoy the first snow. Why are you yelling at me?" she got defensive, having an idea what this was about.

"Bull, Lore! I saw you! I saw you walking around with that diner guy!" he yelled.

"Diner guy? His name is Luke and he was introducing me to his nephew" she said angrily.

"Ah, so he showed you the little cute baby and you didn't see through it. You fell for this lie. I never thought you're that dumb!"

"Hey! I will not let you belittle me. And where the hell is the lie in there? I walked, we met, we talked and I saw his nephew. No lie, nothing. So what do you want?"

"I don't want this grease freak to keep hitting on my wife!"

"Stop insulting Luke"

"Oh so you are defending that jerk who punched me in my face? Nice. That's loyalty towards your husband."

"He was hurt and he was upset and he wasn't thinking clear. And I don't want you to insult him!"

"Okay, now that we got that straight, how long were you "talking" to him?" he said sarcastically.

"What are you implying?"

"I'm just wondering. You know when you had him you slept with me, now that you're married to me, maybe you need another adventure. I mean it's not likely that you were walking through the cold half of the day. You can't seriously think I'll believe that"

"Are you completely crazy? I did not sleep with Luke!"

"Well, who knows? The baby was cute, he gets you into his cave and then you go at it. I bet this whole town would love it!"

"You're right, maybe I should go and do it cause I can tell you that he is better than you!"

"Oh now that you are out of argument you try to get to me through my ego. Nice try, but it's not working! Go and fuck him, you will be back soon, cause you are MY wife, not his and you love me and not him!"

"I wouldn't bet on that!" Lorelai yelled back and the second the sentence had left her mouth Chris eyes became huge and she put a hand over her mouth, like she could shove the words back in.

"Lore, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…" Chris started to apologize when he saw her standing there, staring at him, both slightly out of breath. He took a step towards her and lay a hand on her shoulder, but Lorelai shrugged it of.

"Just leave me alone Christopher" she said, stepped in her shoes and took her jacket off the hook.

She slammed the door shut behind her and Chris wanted to follow her, when he heard steps from the kitchen.

"Daddy?" Gigi said. He sighed and went to see what she wanted.

* * *

Lorelai walked around town without really knowing where to go. She was so mad at Chris. She couldn't believe him! Why didn't he understand that Luke and her were just friends? That slip was just because… she loved Luke as a friend. Not more and not less. And she had been upset. It didn't mean anything. Why was he so jealous? He should know that he has no reason to be jealous. She shook her head and continued walking. This time she didn't notice how beautiful her surroundings were. She even felt cold so she pulled her coat even tighter around her. 

When she reached the square she saw how the last few people were cleaning out their booths from the Christmas festival. She couldn't believe it was only an hour ago that she had walked here, happy. It seemed so far away now.

She looked around and saw that the light in the diner was still on. She knew better than to go to Luke right now. But the truth was she needed a friend right now. And more than anything, she needed a cup of coffee. So against better judgment she walked towards the diner.

Luke didn't look up when he heard the bells jingle. "We're closed."

"I know. I'm sorry," she said, but didn't walk back out. He looked up.

"Lorelai? What are you doing here?" He automatically turned around and filled a cup with coffee. He placed it on the counter and waited for her to sit down on one of the stools.

She gave him a slight smile and took the cup in her hands. "Thanks."

He nodded. "What happened?"

"Apparently Chris saw us at the festival earlier."

"So? It wasn't as if anything happened."

She sighed. "I know. And I tried telling him that, but he was too mad."

"I'm sorry," he said truthfully. He hated Chris, but he didn't want Lorelai to be unhappy.

She shook her head. "It's not your fault. It's something the two of us have to work out. Maybe I shouldn't have come here."

"Don't be crazy. We're friends right?"

She nodded. "I hope so."

He smiled. "Me too."

"So Simon was happy to see his mother again? My ears are still ringing from his screams" Lorelai changed the topic.

"Yeah, he was hungry and Liz is breastfeeding, so there was really nothing else we could have done, other than to bring him back" he shrugged.

"He's so cute though. He has your eyes"

"No, he doesn't. he has Liz eyes."

"But they're blue"

"They'll change color soon. All babies have blue eyes," Luke told her and leaned on his forearms on the counter, to be at her level.

"Yeah and sometimes they remain blue" she smiled flirtingly, forgetting for a second that this was her ex-fiancé. They looked into each others eyes for what seemed like forever. Then Lorelai remembered and broke the contact immediately. She was married. She loved Chris, her husband.

"Hey, can I use the ladies room?" she asked to get out of this situation somehow.

"Of course. You don't have to ask. If you want you can use the one upstairs?" he proposed, because he knew she hated public bathrooms.

She nodded. "Thanks."

He watched how she climbed the stairs. Then he walked around the counter and started lifting the chairs on the table. After a few chairs the diner bell rang again. A furious Chris walked inside.

"Where is she?"

"Who?" Luke looked at him, knowing who he was talking about, but confused by his sudden appearance.

"You know who. Where is she?"

"Lorelai is using the bathroom upstairs. Listen, why don't you calm down," he tried, not really in the mood for a fight with him after a long day.

"Calm down? I don't want to calm down. She's my wife. And I won't allow you to take her away from me, you hear me?" Chris yelled at him.

"What are you talking about? Lorelai and I are just friends," Luke tried to reason with him.

"Yeah right." Chris took a few steps so that he was directly in front of Luke. "Listen to me pal. You are going to stay away from her. She's my wife now. You had your chance and you ruined it. It's too late now," Chris was saying in a threatening tone and coming closer.

"We're just friends," Luke said again.

"Yeah right." Without giving it another thought Chris took a swing and hit Luke's cheek.

Luke, who didn't saw it coming, fell backwards against a table. The chairs he just put up there tumbled down. He struggled to get up on his feet and hit Chris in his face. His calmness long gone Luke was now furious. Chris had seen it coming and managed to stay on his feet. He hit Luke and soon they were hitting each other. Luke had Chris in a headlock at some point, but then Chris managed to get out of it. Luke punched him in the gut and got another swing in the face in return. That's when he completely lost it. He would kill this jerk and he knew he could do it.

Lorelai heard the commotion upstairs. She ran downstairs and was shocked to see Luke and Chris in a fist fight.

"Stop," she yelled and somehow got them apart. She stood in the middle of them and had to duck to avoid Chris' fist. Luke had calmed down the minute he saw Lorelai, afraid he would hurt her, but Chris needed a little longer. He stopped hitting, but he remained yelling.

"I swear to god if you ever come near her again I am going to kill you!" Chris yelled.

"You? You want to kill me? You're just lucky Lorelai came down, otherwise I would have killed YOU," Luke said in a mocking tone, knowing that Chris was weaker than he was.

"Stay out of my way or I will forget myself and keep your hands off my wife!" Chris was still yelling, as angry as before, because Luke was giving him a small smile, signalizing that he wasn't taking him serious.

"This is my town and you are in my diner. So if you want me to stay out of your way then move. Go back to where you came from, but don't tell me in my house what I should or shouldn't do. And now get the hell out of here or I'll call Sam to arrest you."

"This is not your town. I could buy this little hicktown if I wanted and your greasy self all along."

"Good to know that you are financially settled cause you can expect my bill for the mugs, the table and the chair you broke. You'll hear from my lawyer" Luke said, just as calm as before. He knew that the fact that Lorelai hadn't said anything yet, was saying enough.

Lorelai was tired of it, took Chris by his arm and dragged him out of the dinner. When the door closed behind her she turned around and looked at Luke through the window, giving him an apologetic look. Then she tightened her grip on Chris' arm and dragged him all the way home, ignoring his upset rant and his accusations.

**TBC**


	4. Characters

Huh, so new hint... let me think...geez we should have talked about this before..ah okay:

One of us works at a hospital the other one is a student

* * *

**Chapter 4 : Characters**

Lorelai was sitting behind her desk in the Dragonfly. Her day was long and busy. She had to skip lunch because there simply was no time to sit down. Not even for 10 minutes. It was almost 5 o clock now and Lorelai enjoyed the quietness in her office. She knew she had to go home soon. Chris would be expecting her. She just needed half an hour or so to herself.

The house was so busy lately. Or it felt like it at least.  
She had never lived on her own before Rory went to college. She moved out of her parent's house with Rory. When Rory went away to college she hated it. In the end she got used to it and she liked having the place to her self, so that she didn't have to think about others. And even when Rory was still living there, it was different. She was the parent and set the rules. Most of the time they had a democracy, but if there was no other choice she could pull out the mom card and tell Rory what to do.

Now she was living with Chris and had to keep him in mind with everything she did. And Gigi was there as well. It's been a long time since she lived with a kid that small. A kid who needs constant attention. And she is completely different than Rory was at that age. Rory knew how to play by herself. If you gave her a book she would be quiet for hours. Gigi gets tired of it after 10 minutes and needs attention again. It wasn't as if she didn't like living with Chris and Gigi. She was just still getting used to it. And she liked it when she had just a few minutes to herself once in a while.

She thought about her life when she first came to Stars Hollow. As a 17 year old girl with a baby. She smiled when she remembered how Mia took her in and helped her out. She wondered if she ever thanked Mia for everything she had done for her. She suddenly remembered that Mia didn't know that she was married. So she took out a piece of paper and started writing. She wrote that it was too long since they saw each other. She wrote about how Luke and she had started dating, how they had got engaged and how they didn't make it. She wrote about Chris and them getting married. And she ended the letter with thanking Mia for everything she'd done for her and told her that hopefully they'd see each other again soon.

She put the letter in an envelope and wrote Mia's address on it. Suddenly she remembered that she was asked to write another letter for the one other person that helped her out with so many things in her life. She wrote the letter and put it in an envelope. With curly letters she wrote the name on the envelope and put it in her purse. Then she stood up, put on her coat and walked towards the kitchen to say goodnight to Sookie.

* * *

Lorelai entered the house. It seemed dark so she called his name. "Chris?"

"Kitchen."

She put her coat on the coat rack, threw her purse on the couch and walked towards the kitchen. The table was set beautifully and the only light that lightened the room came from candles.

"What is this?" she asked with a smile.

"Something to say that I'm sorry."

"About what?"

"About what happened last week. We didn't talk about it. We just ignored it and I realize now that I was wrong. Gigi is staying at her friend Lucy's house and I thought I'd surprise you."

She sat down at the table.

"You want a glass of wine?" He held a bottle in front of her.

"Please."

He filled the glass. "So, how was your day?"

"Don't ask me about it."

"That horrible huh. Well, just sit down and relax. Dinner will be served in a minute," he said and she did as he requested. She watched him while he put some spaghetti on her plate and put it in front of her.

She waited until he was seated as well and then started eating. For a while they ate in silence. The uncomfortable silence which surrounded them since the fight at Luke's.

"Lore I want to apologize again. I said horrible things to you and... I'm sorry. I really am. I didn't mean any of it"

"It's okay Chris. I understand. It's hard for you to adjust to all this. I mean this town and the crazy people here. The crazy traditions the town has and the crazy habits I have. It's okay," she shrugged.

"No it's not. And it wasn't about this crazy town or you're being crazy, but about that diner guy. He is everywhere and I only want him to stay out of our lives. I mean, I know that it's crazy to be jealous, it's not like you could ever love him, but I can't stand this guy. He makes me want to punch him every time I see him," Chris explained and missed the anger flickering in Lorelai's eyes when he said "diner guy" and the hurt expression which showed when he said she had never loved Luke.

"It's okay. Just stay as far away from the diner as you can," she told him with a fake smile and he squeezed her hand, not able to see through her lie. Only Lorelai knew the truth: She had never loved anyone but Luke.

* * *

"Richard?"

Richard looked at his wife. He had something to tell her, although he had no idea how."

"What's going on?"

He sighed, knowing that what he had to say would change her life forever. "I have something to tell you."

"What, what is it?" She felt that something was up. She knew that something was up because he was acting weird all week. She had asked him several times what was wrong, but he kept denying everything until this moment.

He took her hands in his.

"Richard, you're scaring me."

"You know that I haven't been feeling so well lately. And you know how many times I have to get out of bed during the night. So I went to the doctor on Monday to get a physical."

"And?"

"Apparently there's something wrong with my prostate." He looked at her, a little uncomfortable. "Emily, I have prostate cancer."

"What?" A thousand questions entered her mind as his words registered in her mind.

* * *

"Why don't you take a bath. Just relax for a while, then I'll clean up here and join you upstairs?"

She nodded. "Sounds like a great idea."

"Good." He stood up and helped her up as well. He took her in her arms and kissed her, then he let her go. "I'll be right there."

He watched how she walked up the stairs. Then he blew out the candles and turned on the lights. He took their plates from the table and rinsed them before putting them in the dishwasher.

After the dishwasher was loaded, he took a rag and cleaned the kitchen counter and the table. Then he walked towards the living room. He checked if the front door was locked and looked around the living room. A few of Gigi's toys were laying on the floor so he picked them up and brought them to her room. Then he saw how Lorelai's purse was laying on the couch. He picked it up and unintentionally saw a big white envelop sticking out of it. He wanted to put it back in the purse when he saw the name written on. 'Luke' written in Lorelai's curly handwriting.

He knew better than to open the letter. Things were finally settled between the two of them. But he didn't like the idea of Lorelai writing a letter to Luke so against better judgement he opened it anyway.

_To whom it may concern,_

_  
It is kind of weird, writing this letter. But I was thinking and I feel as if I have to help Mr. Danes after everything he has done for me. I do not know how to write such character witness letter, but I will try._

_The truth is my life changed the moment I walked into his diner for the very first time. I knew that it was the first time I was there, and I knew it would not be the last time. I could not have dreamed that a great friendship would come out of it. But it did._

_Even though I acted like a fool and called him Duke for two full years, he was there for me and Rory, my daughter, from the beginning. _

_When I first met him I didn't think he would be the kind of man that would like a kid. But he liked mine. A lot. He did everything for her a father would normally do. He helped her with her homework. He came to her caterpillar's funeral. He made her mashed potatoes every single day while she had the chicken pox. He fought with Dean (her ex-boyfriend) when she and him broke up. He went to her high school graduation and cried like a baby. He helped her move into her dorm room… He did everything a father does for my kid. And I can not begin to tell you how grateful I am._

_And I think about all the things he has done for me. How many times did he let me rant about my parents after Friday night dinner? How often did he take care of me when I got sick? With my cooking skills I do not think I would have been alive if he had not been feeding me all those years. And his coffee… It didn't matter what I needed. He was always there for me. Without him I would not be living at my house anymore. I am sure it would have fallen apart if he did not fix it years ago, when termites were eating it. And the Inn, it would not be mine now if it were not for him. If he had not helped me out…If he did not loan me the 30.000 dollars…_

_Anyway, what I wanted to say is… He is an amazing father this Luke Danes. He has been an amazing father to my kid and he is an amazing father to his own. She is lucky to be his daughter. _

There were a few lines left but Chris stopped reading. He was furious. How could she write that? How could she write that he was an amazing father to her kid? He was Rory's father. Not Luke. With letter and all he climbed the stairs, everything they talked about earlier that night completely forgotten.

* * *

"It's going to be fine. You're going to be fine." Emily told Richard with determination in her voice. "You remember what you promised me right?"

He nodded. "Yes. I promised you that you can go first."

"Exactly. And I'm keeping you to it, so you're going to be fine."

"I hope so." He pulled Emily into a hug. All he wanted right now was to hold his wife and seek comfort in her embrace.

She pulled away after a minute or so. She placed a soft kiss on his lips. "Everything is going to be fine Richard. I promise. I'm going to take care of everything. I'll call your secretary in the morning and make sure she cancels all your appointments for the next couple of weeks. I'll tell Lorelai and Christopher. And Rory. And I will tell everybody at the DAR. Unless you want to keep this quiet. Do you?"

"Emily." He placed a hand on her shoulder.

"What?"

"All I want is for you to calm down. I'll continue working as long as I can. And I want to tell Lorelai and Rory together."

She nodded. "Okay. Why don't I call Lorelai and ask her if she and Christopher can come over for dinner tomorrow?"

"Why don't we wait until Friday. I don't want them to worry."

"Richard. We have to tell them." She looked at him. "Please?"

He nodded. "Fine. But only them. I don't want everybody else to know."

"Okay." She then pulled him back in a hug.

* * *

Lorelai looks up when Chris enters the bathroom "Hey." The smile that had formed on her lips soon faded when she saw the furious look on his face.

"What is this?" He held the letter in front of her nose.

"What is this? What are you thinking searching through my purse!" she shot back and sat up in the tub.

"You are writing a character witness for this jerk?" Chris yelled at her.

"I can write whatever I want!" she yelled back, grabbed the towel of the hook, wrapped it around her and stepped out of the tub, because she felt stupid sitting in a tub surrounded by scented water fighting with Chris.

"He has been an amazing father to my kid? I am Rory's father and not this hobo."

"Then were the hell were you for the last 20 years? I haven't see you here"

"I was busy and you know that. I wasn't ready to be a father." The fight had developed into a full shouting match.

"Well too bad, because nobody ever asked me if I was ready to be a mother. I just had to be. It was your own decision not to be a part of Rory's life. You didn't want to see her growing up. It was your decision not mine!"

"This is not about my decision, but about the fact that you are basically calling him Rory's father. And he is not! He is a uneducated, grease-smelling, flannel wearing hobo who can barely provide for himself. Maybe he was good in bed, but he is not Rory's father!"

"He was there. He was there and he looked out for her, for us, while you were enjoying yourself in California. He cooked, he watched her, he helped her with her homework and lended her a shoulder to cry on when she needed it, while we didn't even knew your newest phone number. He stepped up and took over obligations that weren't his. They would have been yours, but you weren't interested in that."

"I know that I made faults and I told you I'm sorry. I'm making this up to you two now. I am paying for Rory's school, I will buy her anything she wants, I'll buy you everything you want. He could never do that.

"You don't get it! Not everything can be solved with money" she yelled and pushed past him and out of the bathroom, into the bedroom. Chris followed her.

"Then what do you want me to do? What? Tell me and I'll do it!" he screamed and grabbed her by the arm, turned her around.

"There is nothing you can do now, cause it's over. Rory is grown up and you missed it!"

"When I remember correctly this diner guy missed out on his daughters childhood as well. Why is he better than me than?"

"Don't you dare compare these two situations. You didn't want to be a part in our life. You chose to be out of it. Luke never had a chance. Hell, he didn't even know he had a daughter. But when he found out he stepped up, he stood up to his responsibilities and was there, but not only financially. He spend time with April, he was interested in her life. He wants to be in her life, know what she thinks, what she likes and what not. He organizes birthday parties for girls and went as a chaperone to one of her school trips. He even let her live with him for a while, while her mother was out of the state. He didn't pack his things and leave when he found out he had a kid" she yelled angrily and was slightly out of breath.

"I did not pack my things, I asked you to marry me and you said no"

"And that was your clue to leave? It shouldn't have mattered if I marry you or not, cause Rory is your daughter and you should have been there for her. She should have been your first priority and not me. It should still be like that."

"So are you telling me that you love Rory more than me?" he said angry and somehow defeated.

"Of course I love her more than you. I love my kid more than anyone, cause that's how it's supposed to be. You love your kid more than your partner, maybe you love them equally if you have found the one. But other than that your kid is your everything. I love Rory more than anyone and Luke loves April more than anyone. Why the heck do you think we broke up?" she shot back, incredibly disgusted by Chris at this moment.

Before Chris could form a question concerning her last statement, the phone rang and Lorelai sighed frustrated. Feeling relieved to have something that could take her away from her fight with Chris, she picked up in an instant.

"Hello?"

"Lorelai, it's your mother."

"Mom." Lorelai was even more frustrated now. This was not much better than fighting with Chris.

"Lorelai, I need you and Christopher to come to dinner tomorrow night."

"But tomorrow is Wednesday."

"I know, but please. It's important."

"What's so important that it can't wait two more days?"

"You'll hear whatever it is. Tomorrow night at dinner. I'll see you and Christopher at 7." And with that, Emily hung up.

**Please review! We know that you read it, we see the alerts and we want to know what you think! **

**TBC**


	5. Stay for a while

Okay, the secret's out, someone discovered who I am:

The Cooperation are: **ProFeSseR** and **Akarana** (together with our amazing beta **Sarah**)

Also we loved the reviews, so keep them coming!Thank you so much for them!**  
**

* * *

**Chapter 5: Stay for a while**

The whole ride towards Hartford was tense. Lorelai refused to speak with Christopher after last night's fight and stared out of the window, lost in her thoughts. She wondered what was so important, that she had to come to dinner at her parent's on a Wednesday evening. It was probably something stupid. Maybe her mother had some kind of dinner party and wanted them as table fillers. Or she wanted to talk about the ridiculous idea of having a wedding party again, where they should exchange vows a second time. At the moment she wished she hadn't exchanged them the first time. They were fighting all the time and she was tired of it. How could she go through vows a second time?

"Lore?" Chris shook her out of her thoughts.

"What?" She shot him an angry look, not at all in the mood to talk to him.

"Come on, talk to me," Chris nearly begged.

"What do you want me to say?" she asked him aggressively.

"I just… I don't wanna fight with you. I hate fighting with you," he said.

"Well, maybe then you shouldn't accuse me of cheating, look through my purse and read my letters," she said, still looking out of the window.

"I told you already that I'm sorry. I didn't mean to read it… I just… snapped I guess. I read his name on the envelope and I had to read it. I mean what would you do if you'd found a letter I wrote to Sherry?" he asked.

"I would ask you what's in the letter, although I probably wouldn't even find it cause I don't search your stuff."

"I didn't search your stuff!"

"Did you open my purse?" she asked.

"Yes, but…"

"Did you take out the letter and read it?"

"Yes, but I already…"

"See, so you searched through my stuff and read a personal letter. What's next? You hack my email account and read my emails? Or you order one of these spy software things for my cell so you can see on the screen where I am?" she wasn't willing to let it go that easy this time. He had gone too far, way too far.

"Lore stop that! I know I screwed up, but I want us to get passed this. I want you to forgive me," he begged and pulled the car into the driveway of the Gilmore residence.

"The only thing I want right now is to get out of this freakin' car so I don't have to be near you anymore," she hissed, opened the door, got out of the car and slammed the door shut behind her.

"Lore, this isn't fair. I don't hold a grudge against you because you went to the diner guy and…" he said while he followed her to the front door. Lorelai whirled around; looking even more pissed now.

"Just shut the hell up Christopher!" she said and raised her voice. Before he could say another thing she rang the doorbell.

* * *

"Mom?" Lorelai was surprised when her mother opened the door herself. 

"Hello Lorelai, Christopher," Emily greeted them politely and stepped aside.

Lorelai stepped inside, took off her coat and handed it to her mother. Then she walked off towards the living room without waiting for Chris. She sat down on the couch and looked around surprised to find the living room completely empty. It obviously wasn't a dinner party, unless they were invited before all the other guests.

"What was that?" Chris hissed, when he sat down next to Lorelai a minute later.

She shot him an angry look that told him to shut up, but didn't say a word. She knew she couldn't keep from yelling at him once she was forced to talk to him.

Chris was about to continue when Emily entered the living room.

"What can I offer you to drink?" she asked the two, her usual polite smile missing.

"The usual for me mom," Lorelai replied shortly.

"Okay, Christopher?" Emily ignored the tone of her daughter.

"I'd like a bourbon please," he gave Emily a small smile

"A martini and a bourbon coming up." Emily walked to the drink cart and started filling the glasses.

"So mom, where's dad?" Lorelai asked only to avoid Christopher from saying something again.

"He's in his office. He'll be right here," Emily replied.

"Okay. Ready to tell me why we're here yet?" Lorelai brought on the next question. The sooner she had the answers, the sooner she could get out of there and the sooner she could get away from Christopher.

Emily shook her head. "You'll have to wait a little longer. Your father and I want to tell you together," Emily said and her voice wavered a little.

Lorelai studied her mother, and suddenly got the feeling that something was wrong. The look on her mother's face wasn't the usual one when she had news. She didn't seem as cheery as usual. She shook off the feeling and focussed on the drink her mother handed her. Maybe this constant fighting with Christopher got to her more than she wanted to admit.

"Is Rory coming too?" She asked and took a gulp of her drink.

"No, it's just the four of us tonight," Emily replied and sat down on the opposite sofa.

Lorelai nodded. "Okay," which was followed by an uncomfortable silence.

"So tell me, how are the two of you doing?" Emily broke the silence.

"Good, we're, uhm, great actually," Christopher said with a smile and took Lorelai's hand in his. But not for long, because Lorelai pulled her hand away as quickly as she could and prayed that her mother wouldn't notice.

"Yeah, lot's of work at the inn," she said through gritted teeth and had to push the urge to yell at Christopher away once again.

"That's good. A wedding?" Emily asked politely, but somehow distracted and glanced towards Richard's study, which was not lost on Lorelai.

"Nah, actually we have the international cooperation of Easter bunnies at the Inn. They have a conference and will leave on Monday" Lorelai explained.

"How nice," Emily said and Lorelai knew that she hadn't really listened to what she had told her. She took a deep breath and wanted to try again to get to know what was up, but just then her father entered the room.

"Hello Lorelai, Christopher. I'm glad you could join us for dinner tonight," Richard said politely, but not as cheerful as he had done during the last time.

"Sure dad." She watched how he made himself a drink and couldn't help but feel that nagging feeling in her chest again. She knew it. Something was up. She watched how he sat down next to her mother.

"So, are you ready to tell us what's going on yet?" she tried it again, because by now she was really scared what could be wrong that her parents were behaving so obviously normal, but not normal at the same time.

Emily shook her head. "Not yet. We want to have dinner first."

Lorelai sighed. She wanted to protest but for once didn't, knowing that this wasn't the right evening to start a fight. So she just went along with her parent's small talk and waited until dinner was over and her parents brought up the subject.

* * *

"Let's go to the living room so that we can talk." Emily proposed after dinner was over. 

Lorelai willingly followed her mother into the living room and sat down at her usual spot on the couch. Christopher sat down next to her and her parents sat down on the other couch across from them. Lorelai saw how Emily took Richard's hand in hers and squeezed it. She saw the questioned look her mother directed to her father, as if she was asking who'd be the one to tell them. She waited patiently for her parents to speak, even though inside she felt everything but patient.

Finally Richard was the one to speak. "The past few weeks I haven't been feeling well. Your mother has been pushing me to see a doctor, but I've been putting it off. Eventually I felt as if I couldn't wait any longer, this Monday I went to the hospital for a physical and they found something wrong with my prostate." Lorelai felt her chest tighten again. So she had been right, something was wrong.

"Dad?" It was the only word Lorelai could get out.

"It's cancer. I have prostate cancer," Richard said and looked at the hand in his lap, which was joined with Emily's. Then he brought his gaze back up slowly and saw how the blank look on his daughter's face changed to one of shock and fear.

Lorelai gasped. "Oh dad…." She felt how beside her Christopher grabbed her hand and squeezed it. She wanted to shake him off, but liked that she had something else to focus on, so she let it go. "How bad is it?" she asked.

Richard shook his head. "I'm not sure yet. I went to the hospital for tests this morning, and I have some more tests tomorrow. I won't hear anything until next week," Richard explained and wished badly for something to calm his daughter and his wife with. But he couldn't think of anything.

Lorelai nodded as she took in what her father was telling her. "So it could be bad?" she asked quietly and bit her lip and looked down. She looked at her parents joined hands, then at hers and Christopher's. Then she pulled her hand away.

"Lorelai you shouldn't think that way," Emily said with a force that surprised Lorelai.

Startled by the sudden determination in her mother's voice, Lorelai looked up.

"Your father is going to be fine. You hear me?" Emily said and sounded like she had when Richard had been in the hospital the last time. She was aggressive somehow, but at the same time seconds away from an emotional breakdown.

"Yes." Lorelai replied with a small voice, more for her mother's sake than anything else.

"Good. Now, I know that you want Rory to know this, but your father and I have talked about it and we want to wait until we know more before we tell her, okay?" Emily had herself under control again and the business like tone was back.

"Okay," Lorelai only nodded and felt incredibly alone all of a sudden. Her own words from years ago came to her mind. _Sometimes I wish I were married._ Now she was married and she wished she wasn't, because it didn't change a thing. She was alone in all of this. Christopher was not the one who would save the sink from getting sent back to Canada.

"Good. Then I think your father and I are going to bed now. It's been a long day. I don't want to send you away but…." Emily started and suddenly her mother seemed very old.

"It's okay. I understand." Lorelai stood up and the others followed her example. They walked towards the hallway where Emily handed them their coats.

"We'll see you for Friday night dinner." Richard said, strangely enough the calmest in the room, beside Christopher, who seemed bothered somehow, but not shocked.

"Okay." Lorelai turned to her father and hugged him. She looked up into his eyes and he smiled at her.

"I'm going to be fine Lorelai. Your mother's right," he tried to reassure her and gave her shoulder a squeeze.

"I hope so dad. I really hope so," she whispered and left the house

* * *

On the ride home Lorelai was caught up in her own thoughts, this time about her father and had forgotten about Christopher completely. So when he called her name, she looked at him. 

"Yeah?" she asked confused, because she now remembered his presence.

"What was that?" he asked upset.

"What was what?" She was confused when she heard his tone of voice.

"The crap you were pulling at your parents…."

"God Chris, what are you talking about?" she interrupted him.

"You told me to shut up, didn't speak a single word to me and then you pulled your hand away!" he yelled.

"You are such an ass, I can't even find words for it. Have you heard what my parents told us?" she yelled back, tears of anger shooting into her eyes.

"My father has cancer and you are yammering because I pulled my hand away? How ignorant can you be?" she asked loudly.

"I was trying to help. I was trying to be there for you, but you shut me out and pulled your hand away. Do you have any idea how much that hurts me?" he asked in a whining tone.

"That hurt you? Honestly I don't give a damn at the moment what might hurt you or not. My father is sick" she screamed at him.

"So what? It's not like you care about your parents," Chris shot back and Lorelai felt the strong urge to hit him, very hard. She was killing him inside, but she couldn't do anything. So she chose to ignore him once again.

* * *

Lorelai jumped out of the car the minute Chris parked it in their driveway. Instead of walking towards the house, she walked in the opposite direction. 

"Where the hell do you think you're going?"

"I'm going for a walk. Don't you dare following me!" she yelled and walked away without looking back. She couldn't deal with Chris any longer at the moment. She needed some time for herself so she could think about what happened. She made sure her body language showed Chris really not to follow her, and she was relieved when he understood the message.

She walked around for a while, and subconsciously ended up at the diner. The sign was flipped to close, but she still tried the door. It was locked, so she tapped the window. When Luke didn't show she reached above the door and let herself in.

When she locked the door behind her, she heard his voice.

"Lorelai?" he asked surprised and worried at the same time. If she broke into the diner something must be wrong.

She looked around and saw the concerned look on his face. Before she could help it, her eyes filled with tears.

"Come on. Let's go upstairs." He put a hand on the small of her back and directed her towards his apartment. Her skin tingled where he touched her and she leaned into his hand a bit, without even realizing it.

She sat down at the table, while he started filling the coffee maker. She wiped away her tears when he sat down next to her a while later. "Sorry that I showed up this way. I know how much you hate crying women," she sniffed.

"It's okay. I'm always here for you, you know that. What happened? Did you and Chris have another fight?"

She nodded and then shook her head. "Yeah, but this isn't about that. We just came back from dinner with my parents."

"On a Wednesday?" he asked and knew something must be wrong.

"Yeah. My mother called yesterday and said that there was something they had to tell us and that it couldn't wait."

"I figure that it wasn't good news?"

She shook her head as her eyes filled with tears again. "My father has cancer." She let out a sob and the next thing she knew she was in Luke's comforting arms. She cried and he just held her, whispering words of comfort in her ear.

It took her a few minutes to calm down. She pulled back a little embarrassed. She wiped away her tears and gave him a small smile. "I'm sorry."

"Stop apologizing okay? Why don't you tell me some more. How bad is it?" he asked and was honestly interested.

"He has prostate cancer. They don't know how bad it is yet. They're still running tests," his question helped her compose herself.

"When's he going to hear something?" Luke asked and sat down on another chair.

"Sometime next week," she replied and took a shaky breath.

Luke nodded. "I know how hard it is, but until you know more you have to stay positive," he advices her.

"I'm not sure if I can," she said honestly and her lip started to quiver again.

"You have to. He needs you to be strong. I know he does," he said it like he really knew for sure.

"How?" she asked with a small voice.

"Because my father needed me to be strong for him, after he was first diagnosed," he said and looked down at the floor in front of him.

She looked up at him. "Oh Luke," she whispered.

"I know that it didn't really help my father that we stayed positive in the beginning, but…" he motioned with his hands and she knew what he meant. She took his hand in hers and squeezed it, longing for some contact with him.

"It might not be the same for your father you know," he said and gave her hands a squeeze.

"I hope so," she whispered.

"My father's cancer was really aggressive. But I heard once that 1 in every 10 men gets prostate cancer. And I could be wrong, but I think the five years survival rate is 99"

"I hope that you're right Luke. I hope that you're right," she said and started to sniffle again.

He pulled her in another hug and tried to ignore the familiar feeling of having her in his arms. They were friends now. And at the moment his friend needed him more than she ever did. And he was going to be there for her.

He felt how she snuggled into his arms in desperate need for some comfort and that's what he was going to give her. He wasn't even asking himself where Christopher was or if it was his place to comfort her, he just did it.

"You want some coffee?" he asked her after a while of holding her.

"Do you really need to ask?!" she said and gave him a small smile. Luke returned it and stood up. He poured her a cup of coffee and handed her the cup.

"Hey would you mind if I stay a while? Just until I calm down a bit?" she asked him then. She really wanted to stay and bathe in the comforting feeling his presence gave her.

"Sure, stay as long as you want" he smiled and sat down beside her.

**T.B.C.**

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	6. Admitting the truth

Thank you all so much for your reviews, we hope you will also leave one for this chapter

Laura and Jessi

* * *

**Chapter 6 : Admitting the truth**

Lorelai spend the night on Luke's couch. She didn't want to go home. She couldn't handle fighting with Christopher again after what her parents told her. It wasn't as if she slept. Her parent's voices were going through her head all night. But it was comforting hearing Luke's soft snores. She couldn't help but think how that sound had always soothed her to sleep every night, a little over a year ago. Luke was a deep sleeper. When she watched him sleep she could see how he enjoyed it. Chris was different. He was restless and would wake up at the lightest sound.

"Hey. You're awake." Luke noted when he got out of bed the following morning.

She nodded and sat up. "Yeah."

"Did you sleep at all?" He looked at her concerned.

She gave him a look that said enough. Luke sighed and tried to stroke the sleep out of his eyes with one hand.

"How about some coffee?" he asked then.

"Please," she said and gave him a small, tentative smile.

She watched him as he made her coffee and some tea for himself. They sat down at the table and shared a quick breakfast in silence. After breakfast she took a quick shower and was ready to leave.

"What are you planning on doing today?" Luke asked her, still concerned how much more trouble she could take at the moment.

She raised her shoulders. "I'm supposed to work but I don't really feel like it. I may call in sick and go see how my parents are doing. See if I can do something for them," she told him honestly and she knew she didn't need to explain how worried she was and how much her parents meant to her.

"Sounds like a good idea," he said and his gruff tone was back.

She gave him a weak smile. "Thanks for letting me spend the night."

"No problem. I'm here for you. You know that."

She nodded. "Thanks Luke."

"Come by later okay?" the gruff tone was gone again.

She nodded again and then left.

When she was gone Luke stayed in his apartment for some more time. He just sat at the table and thought about the last night and the events. He wished he could do more than just let her spend the night in his apartment. He really wanted to help her, but he didn't know how.

After some minutes he walked over to his couch where she had put the flannel shirt she had worn for the night. He picked it up and walked to the carrier with the dirty laundry in the bathroom. He wanted to throw it into it, but when he moved it a bit of the scent which lingered in the shirt flew into his nostrils. He had to close his eyes because this scent was a bit too much for him and caught him off guard. Without opening his eyes he buried his head in the shirt and took her scent in. Then he opened his eyes, walked back out of the bathroom and tossed the flannel shirt onto his bed. He stared at it for some seconds, unsure if he had only dreamed those horrible last months without her. Her scent lingered in his sheets and his shirt; maybe it had just been a bad dream.

But then reality got him back and he sighed and walked downstairs to face the breakfast crowd in the diner.

* * *

"Lorelai?" Emily was surprised to see her daughter in her doorway.

"Hey mom," Lorelai greeted her and fiddled with her necklace.

"What are you doing here?"

Lorelai raised her shoulders. "I didn't feel like working today. I drove around and I kind of ended up here. Can I come in?"

"Of course."

Lorelai handed her coat to her mother and walked into the living room. "Is dad home?"

"No. He has a meeting."

Lorelai nodded as she sat down.

"You want something to drink?"

"Coffee please."

Emily nodded and walked towards the kitchen, ordering the maid to make some coffee. Back in the living room she sat down across from Lorelai. "What are you doing here?"

"What? Can't I pay you a visit?" she asked although she knew that her mother knew why she really was there.

"You don't stop by voluntarily without wanting something Lorelai." Emily pressed the issue.

"That's not true." She sighed. "Okay it is true. But not today. I was just…."

"Thinking about your father?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

"You shouldn't worry too much Lorelai. He's going to be fine. You'll see."

"You don't know that. How can you believe that?"

"Because I have to."

"I don't understand."

Emily sighed. "It's easier to believe that everything is going to be alright, than that it won't. Because honestly, I don't know what to do without your father. We've been married for over 40 years. I can't think of my life without your father. That idea.. it's too frightening to think about it."

Lorelai looked at her mother that was usually so strong, and saw genuine fear in her eyes. Even though she said that she was okay, and that she believed that he was fine, inwardly she was terrified.

"Just think about how you would feel if this happened to Christopher."

She didn't know how to reply to that. She knew she wouldn't be as terrified as her mother was right now. Of course it would be horrible if something happened to Chris. She would miss him… but not the way her mother would miss her father. Not the way she would…. She shook her head. She didn't want to think about Luke now. It wasn't appropriate; she was married now, to Chris. She forced the thoughts out of her mind, and her mother noticed this.

"What's wrong Lorelai?" Emily wanted to know.

"Nothing," Lorelai said and looked down to her hands to avoid her mothers piercing eyes.

"Don't lie to me. I know you." Emily said sternly.

"I don't know how I would feel if Christopher…" Lorelai started slowly, barely able to admit this to herself.

"Don't be crazy. You would be horrified. You married him Lorelai. You love him."

"But it's hard mom. We're fighting all the time," Lorelai tried to explain.

"What did you think? That it was going to be easy? You've known each other for a very long time. You've lived your own lives for a very long time. And now you have to find a way to bring those lives together. You have to make it work. It's not going to work by itself. It doesn't work like that. It's not easy." Emily was starting to feel mad. "Do you think your father and I would still be together if we hadn't worked on it?"

Lorelai let out a small 'no.'

"That's what I thought." Emily shook her head as she studied her daughter. She didn't look like the woman she used to be. She changed a lot over the past few months. She tried to act happy, but Emily knew better.

"Do you love him Lorelai?" she asked her the question Lorelai feared the most. She knew if there was one person she couldn't lie to about these things it was her mother.

Tears filled Lorelai's eyes as she shook her head. "No," she said and allowed her self to admit this not only to someone else, but also to herself for the first time.

"Do you think you could ever love him?" Emily asked her then and her voice wasn't angry or aggressive, but soft and somehow worried.

She raised her shoulders. "I don't know. I hope so."

"Do you still love Luke?" Emily wanted to know. Lorelai's head shot up and she stared at her mother. She wanted to yell at her for asking such a thing. She was a married woman and her mother asked her something like this. But when she saw the honest worry in her mother's eyes, her own resolve crumbled and she let her guard down. The wall she had built around her heart the night Luke had let her walk away disappeared under her mother's eyes and Lorelai was hit by such a pain that she could barely breathe anymore.

She nodded. "Yes," she pressed out then and tried to take a deep breath.

"Do you want to be with him?" Emily questioned her further.

"I don't know mom. I don't know." Lorelai shook her head and the first tears dropped on her hand.

"It's a simple question Lorelai. If it was possible, would you be with him?" Emily lay her finger on the wound. Lorelai nodded again.

"Yes." She let out a small sob as she admitted it. God, she so desperately wanted to be with him. Now that she admitted it, it nearly killed her that she wasn't.

"Then I think you know what to do." Emily concluded and raised her eyebrows.

"But…" Lorelai objected. She was married to Rory's father. She tried to believe that she could someday get her whole package out of it. It was her dream. No, she told herself then, it wasn't her dream. It hadn't been anymore since the day she had had her breakdown on the bench and Luke had comforted her. Chris wasn't her dream. The family with Chris and Gigi wasn't her dream and never had been.

"I hate to see you unhappy Lorelai. You should know by now that life is too short to be unhappy." Emily said then and Lorelai looked at her like she had grown two heads. But then Lorelai smiled slightly.

"I know you're right mom. But is that what you want? Do you want me and Chris to divorce?" she asked her. She didn't want to be a disappointment to her mother again. Not when her father was that sick.

"This is not about what I want. This is about what you want." Emily said and folded her hands in her lap.

* * *

Lorelai drove home feeling a lot better. She had finally admitted out loud what she was feeling inside all along, but had pushed back and never acknowledged. Not even to herself.. She never thought her mother would approve any of it, but apparently she understood. All she had to do now was go home and make Chris understand.

When she walked into the house she found Chris with the phone in the hand pacing in the living room.

"Where have you been? I was worried sick!" he yelled and grabbed her by the shoulders. Lorelai let her purse drop to the floor and looked him in the eyes. So this was her husband, she thought. The man she should love and cherish for the rest of her life. The potential father of her potential future kids. A wave of sympathy came over her for the man in front of her. He really loved her, but he was a damn fool. He was still the sixteen year-old boy he had been back then on the balcony when Rory was conceived.

"I was at my parent's" she told him quietly and saw the doubt in his eyes. He didn't trust her. He didn't accept her. He only loved her.

"Sure, because that's the place where you always go when we fight. Correct me if I am wrong, but the last time I found you at the diner with your ex-boyfriend." He said and let go of her shoulders to pace some more.

"My ex-fiancé," she corrected him and sat down on the couch. Chris stopped pacing and stood in front of her.

"Oh yeah right. Sorry I forgot, but it's not like that matters anymore." He said bitterly.

"You're right. It doesn't matter. At least not anymore" she said and he misunderstood what she meant. He wasn't able to read her eyes and never had been.

"No it doesn't because we're married now. You and I and we will spend the rest of our lives together." Chris said, appeased somehow.

"Chris.." Lorelai started and he took her hands waiting for a declaration of love and an apology.

"Yeah?" he said and tried to kiss her. But she pulled her hands away and stood up. She looked down at him and couldn't even really feel sorry for him. Too heavy was the pain in her chest, that reminded her that she had lost Luke, the only man she ever loved, her dream.

"I want you to move out today," she said.

"But Lore, I …" he started but she interrupted him.

"I don't love you. Actually I never did. I love Luke and always will and I had to admit that to myself today. I can't fight with you anymore, I don't have the strength to fight with you for something which doesn't mean anything to me anyhow. My father is sick and I lost the man I love. I just… I can't pretend anymore… I will be gone for the rest of the day. Be gone when I come back tonight." She told him and left the house while he was still sitting on the couch, not able to take in what she had told him.

**TBC**


	7. Back on track

**We hope you all had great holidays and you are all relaxed and happy when you read the next chapter.**

**Happy new year to all of you**

**Laura and Jessi

* * *

****Chapter 7 : Back on track **

Lorelai went straight to the diner. After talking to Chris, she was in desperate need to talk to Luke. She knew she screwed up bad with everything that happened the past few months, and today she finally realized all the mistakes she made. The only thing she could do now was try to make things right with Luke. She hoped that he still wanted her, like she still wanted him.

Luke looked up when he heard the bell ring and smiled when he saw it was Lorelai. He immediately turned around to fill a cup with coffee and placed it in front of her when she sat down at the counter. "Hey, how were things at your parents?"

She thought for a moment and then said "Refreshing."

He raised his eyebrows. "What?"

"My dad wasn't home but I had a very interesting conversation with my mom."

"That bad huh." He replied, knowing how conversations between Lorelai and Emily usually went.

She shook her head. "No, it wasn't bad at all. I think it's the first real conversation I ever had with my mother."

"Oh. What did you talk about?"

"About her fears and then about me and you."

He was confused now. "About us?"

She nodded. "My mother made me realize some things. I'm so sorry Luke, for everything that happened. I should have told you how I was feeling when I found out about April. I should have told you how left out I felt. I shouldn't have pushed you that night, and I definitely shouldn't have gone to Christopher."

"But you did."

She nodded. "Yes, and I can't begin to tell you how much I regret that. How much I regret everything that happened after that. He's not the guy I want to be with."

"And still you married him. Listen, I don't know what you want from me Lorelai. I don't know why you're telling me this."

"Because life is too short. I told Chris that I want a divorce. He's not the guy I want to be with. That's you. It has always been you." She gave him a pleading look.

"Lorelai, please stop that", Luke pleaded and closed his eyes for a second. Then he took a deep breath and looked at her again, the pleading now written in his eyes.

"But Luke we need to talk about that, I need to talk about that. I love you", Lorelai said, her tone matching his.

"Lorelai, please. You're upset because your marriage didn't work out and I understand that, I know how a failed marriage feels like", he said and wanted to go on, but Lorelai interrupted him.

"It's not about my marriage. This marriage wasn't right from the beginning. I never loved Chris. It was always you I wanted, Luke", Lorelai sounded desperate now, because she wanted to make him see, wanted to make him believe her and wanted him back.

"That's not true and we both know it. I can remember a time not that long ago when you came into the diner and cried about the fact that Chris had dumped you for his pregnant girlfriend and how it's your dream to have the whole package with him. You have it now, maybe you shouldn't throw it away that easily" Luke said slowly.

"That was then. I thought it was my dream to have that with him. But since I've been with you I only want that with you. I want to marry you and have kids with you. I want to wake up and go to bed with you by my side. When Chris started to talk about more kids, it was a shock. The only thing I could think of was "no". I don't want him, Luke. I want you. I can't make my dream come true with anybody else but you", Lorelai had started to cry now.

"That's our problem Lorelai. It was only a dream. We both wanted to be meant for each other, but I think all that happened showed that we are not. We don't belong together and never did. Believe me, I really wanted us too and it was my dream to be with you and start a family with you. But sometimes dreams can't come true, because it's not meant to be. We both need to learn how to move on. I need to understand that loving someone for ten years might not be enough and you need to learn that you can't go back to what was right some time when the present isn't what you want. When I let you walk away you went to Christopher. When you two have problems you come to me. I can't do this Lorelai. Go home and talk to Chris. Make this marriage work if that's your dream. Forget about us, because we can't go back. You would always wonder what I might keep from you and I would always wonder when you would run off to Christopher again", Luke told her and tried to keep his voice even as possible.

"So you don't love me anymore? My dream will never come true? Cause it can't without you. I can't even think about having someone else's baby, I can't think about growing old with someone else", Lorelai sobbed.

"It's not about love and it's not about what I want. It's just that we're not right for each other and it hurts enough to get up with that knowledge. Trying and failing again… I don't think I would be able to get over it again. I told you that my life is not real when you're not in it and I meant it. But I was able to go and even to talk with you again. But if we fail again, then…" Luke trailed off.

"So that's it? We're over?" Lorelai asked and tried to get some self- control back.

"We were over the moment I decided to keep April from you and you didn't say a word, although you knew I was hiding something", Luke said with bitterness in his voice.

"Okay, then I guess I'll go now before I'll make an even bigger idiot out of myself", Lorelai tried to smile.

"You didn't…"Luke shook his head.

"Good bye Luke"

"Good bye Lorelai, take care", Luke said and gave her a small wave.

* * *

After Lorelai left the diner she knew she couldn't go home. Chris was probably still there, and she was definitely not ready to face him. Besides, she needed someone to talk to. Her first thought was to go to Sookie, but then she remembered the conversation she had with Rory when she and Chris came home from Paris. Rory was so mad and partially because her parents got married without her. So instead of going to Sookie's she drove to New Haven.

Rory opened the door almost immediately after Lorelai rang the doorbell. She was surprised to see her mother standing on the other side.

"Mom?"

"Hey kiddo. Can I come in?" Lorelai asked and tried to act as cheery as possible. She didn't want to break down in front of Rory.

"Sure." Rory stepped aside to let her mother in. "What's going on?"

Lorelai let herself fall into the couch. "How about a cup of coffee and I tell you everything?"

Rory went into the kitchen and filled two cups with coffee. Then she joined her mother in the living room. "So, what's going on?"

It was then that Lorelai realized that Rory didn't know about her grandfather. Would Rory understand the whole story if she left out the part where Richard has been diagnosed with cancer?

"Mom?"

"Uhm…Let's begin at the beginning. Ever since your father and I came back from Paris, things haven't been perfect between the two of us. We've been fighting a lot. It's like we can't agree on a single thing. At first I thought that I just had to get used to having him and Gigi around all the time and that I would get used to it. But that didn't happen. We've been fighting more and more lately."

"Fighting about what?"

"Mostly about Luke and me." Lorelai confessed.

"What?"

"We became friends again. He called me the night your father and I came home from Paris because he had a problem with April. It wasn't anything serious. April started her period for the first time and Anna was in New Mexico, but anyway, we started seeing each other more often since."

"And dad is jealous?"

"Well yeah. But he had nothing to be jealous about. Luke and I were just friends."

"Were?" Rory had paid attention.

Lorelai sighed. "I went to see your grandmother this morning and we had a long talk and in the end I realized that I don't love your father. I never did. I'm still in love with Luke."

Rory was even more confused now. "You had a talk with grandma? Did she come to see you?"

Lorelai shook her head. "I went over there."

"Why? Mom, you're not telling me everything."

"I just… I had to take care of something over there and it's not really important for this matter. She asked me what I would feel if I would lose Chris and I had to admit, that I would be sad, but… but if anything would ever happen to Luke…" tears were now again in Lorelai's eyes. 

"Oh mom", Rory said and even she was scared by the thought.

"And then my mother told me that I should do something, because life is too short to waste it with an unhappy marriage. I went home, talked to your father and told him that it's over and he should move out. I told him I'm still in love with Luke. After that I went to Luke and told him that I love him and that I want to be with him", Lorelai told Rory and started to sniff when the first tears fell from her eyes.

"I guess that didn't go well", said Rory and lay an arm around her mother.

"No, he said we're not meant to be and he can't be with me anymore. He said that it was just a dream. But we're not… he said it was over when… when he found out about April and didn't tell me and although I knew something was wrong I didn't call him on it. Why didn't I ask him Rory? Why?" Lorelai was sobbing.

"You were occupied and worried. You thought he would tell you if it was something important", Rory tried to sooth her.

"No, I was stupid. I was so ignorant and self-centred. I should have asked him. No wonder he didn't trust me, what kind of fiancée have I been?" cried Lorelai.

"Mom, it'll be all right", Rory tried again to calm her mother.

"No, Rory nothing will be all right", Lorelai yelled now, " I want to be married, I want to have more kids, I want somebody to be there for me and love me. I want to come home to someone and share everything with that one person. And I somehow thought your father could be that, but he never had a chance because the only man who can ever give me that is Luke, because he is the only one I ever loved and will ever love. Without him I will become the lonely old cat lady I never wanted to be", she screamed at her daughter. Rory was shocked and didn't know what to do. Helplessly she pulled her mother into her arms and stroked over her head, while Lorelai fell completely apart in front of her daughter.

* * *

When Richard came home from his meeting he found Emily in the living room. She looked up with a smile.

"Hey."

"Hey." He smiled at her and sat down next to her.

"How was your meeting?"

"Better than I could have imagined." He leaned in to kiss her.

She raised her eyebrows. "You seem happy."

"I am. I'm going to be okay."

"I've been telling you that."

He nodded. "But now the doctor told me. I need surgery but after that I'll be fine. The cancer is in an early stage and the 5 year survival rate is over 90."

Emily didn't need to know anything else and pulled Richard into a tight embrace. While holding her husband in her arms she couldn't help but think what a good day it had been. First she had one of the best conversations with Lorelai they had ever had and now she knew for sure that Richard was going to be okay.

Now only her daughter needed to get her life back on track.

**TBC**


	8. You told him

So, next chapter...

But before that I have an anouncement to make which might be interesting for other authors of JJ stories: We are hosting a **JJ Ficathon** on my LJ. The topic is "Baby"... you can find the link on my profile page "Akarana"... or send us a review/pm and I'll send you the link.. please sign up and participate!

Thanks for the reviews.. and Liana: We are wondering about that also ;)

* * *

**Chapter 8: You told him **

Lorelai spent the night at Rory's as she was in no state to drive home. The next morning she felt a lot better, although she knew she had to go home and face her problems. She hoped that Chris would be gone by the time she got there, but knew how stubborn he could be. After a long, hot shower Lorelai went into the kitchen to say goodbye to Rory.

"You ready to go home?" Rory asked her cautiously.

"Well, as ready as I'll ever be I guess." Lorelai replied and gave her a forced smile.

"Things will be okay mom. You'll see." Rory tried to reassure her.

"I hope so Rory. I really hope so." Lorelai gave her daughter a slight smile and walked towards her to give her a small hug.

"I love you kid." Lorelai mumbled

Rory smiled. "I love you too mom."

Lorelai nodded. "I'll call you later okay?"

"I have my cell phone ready and waiting."

"Good."

* * *

After one last hug Lorelai got into her car. She turned the music on loud in the hope she couldn't hear herself think. It worked and she was home before she knew it. When she was about to turn into her drive way, she saw Chris' car parked there. She cursed inwardly as she parked her car. She stormed inside the house, ready to fight. The anger and disappointment when Luke had rejected her bubbled to the surface and although she knew it wasn't Christopher's fault she needed to take her anger out on someone, now that the pain and sadness over Luke's rejection hit full force.

Chris was holding a box in his arms when Lorelai entered the house.

"Hey", he greeted her friendly.

"What are you doing here?" The tone in her voice showed him how mad she was.

"Can we talk?" he tried nonetheless.

"I don't want to talk", she hissed.

"I know, but I do", Chris decided, put the box down and grabbed her by the arm.

She sighed and let him lead her into the living room, although she had tried at first to get out of his grasp.

In the living- room he pushed her down on the couch and she looked up to him, saw his struggle for words.

"Lorelai, do you know what it means when I move out today?" he asked her then.

"Yes", she spit out.

"Lorelai, if I really move out today it means that we are over. No more marriage, no more family, nothing", Chris told her in a very calm tone. Lorelai looked at him and suddenly her anger was gone. Somehow she felt sorry for him, because she realized that now his dream was fading away just like hers did a year ago with Luke.

"Chris, I am sorry. I am really sorry that I pulled you into this whole mess. I should never have come to you that night when my whole world tumbled down. Chris I would have needed a friend that night, not a lover. I would have needed a friend all those months, but never a husband. I… I just… Chris, I love Luke. I've always loved him, this whole time. I wanted a family and more kids and everything, but I needed to get married to you to understand that I only want all that with Luke. Without him… there's no marriage I am able to commit to", Lorelai confessed. Chris looked her in the eyes and saw that she wasn't telling him all this to make him leave, but because it was true.

"Okay, then I guess I should really go now. I will keep in contact with Rory though and you can always call me... as a friend… if you want to", he offered.

"Thanks Chris, but I think we shouldn't fall back into that pattern", Lorelai told him.

"So, that means you're back with Luke?" Chris asked as he started to get upset but tried to stay calm. Lorelai looked down and felt her eyes starting to get misty.

"No, no, I am not," she said and focused on her hands, because she didn't want to cry about Luke in front of Chris.

"Why?" Chris asked, because he honestly didn't understand.

"Luke doesn't want me anymore", she confessed.

"Then he's even more stupid than I thought", Chris said, took another long look at Lorelai, who sat at the couch and bit her lip then he walked out without saying another word.

* * *

-xxxxxx-

After her conversation with Chris Lorelai changed and went to the inn. She stayed there until late because she had to catch up with the work she'd been missing the past 2 days. On her way home she drove past the diner and saw how Luke was closing up. Against better judgement she parked her car and went inside to talk to him.

"We're closed." He didn't look up when he heard the door bell ring.

"I know. But that never stopped me before."

He looked up now. "Hey."

"Hey."

"Coffee?"

"Do you even have to ask?"

"I guess not." He walked around the counter and started filling the coffee maker. "So, long day?" He tried small talk because he had no idea what to say to her after their conversation yesterday.

"Kind of. I had some work to catch up on. I just came from the Inn."

"Did you have dinner already? I can make you a burger if you want to?"

She shook her head. "No thanks. I'm not hungry."

"What? Lorelai Gilmore is not hungry?"

She shook her head. "Listen, I was kind of hoping you would want to rethink what we were talking about yesterday."

He sighed. "Lorelai."

"No Luke, don't Lorelai me. Hear me out okay ? I ended things with Chris for good now. He moved out and we are getting a divorce. We were never supposed to get married in the first place. You and I were. And I know that you're doubting that right now, but I know that you and I are meant to be Luke. I know it. Please, just think about it."

"Lorelai please, stop!" Luke yelled at her and slammed the towel he held onto the counter.

"But Luke, please, we would have a chance now, Chris is gone, please Luke", she begged and pleaded, something she never thought she would ever do.

"Lorelai, this is killing me, okay? All I wanted for the last ten years was being happy with you, marry you, have a family. We tried it and we failed. It didn't work out and Chris was only part of it. I have to wake up every day in the bed you slept in, open the diner you came to every day, brew the coffee which is your life elixir, walk through the town where everything is reminding me of you. I had to go through that while you had a nice time with Chris and then got married. So obviously you never had those problems. Now that you would have to face all that, only with Chris, you come back here and want me to be the substitute again. I can't do that Lorelai. I can't", he said.

"But I love you Luke" she yelled back.

"And you never told him you love him?" he asked.

"Luke", she said, shocked, but trying to stall.

"Did you? Did you tell him you love him?" Luke asked again

"Yes", she admitted, barely above a whisper.

"Then how do you think I could believe you?" he asked back.

"I thought you know me", she shot back.

"I thought that as well and see where we are now", Luke told her and she remained silent.

"You can come here as often as you want. Maybe one day we can be friends again", he said after he had taken a deep breath and had started to clean the counter with the towel again.

"You were my dream. Our family was my dream. No friendship will ever make it come true", she said and started to sob before she walked out of the diner as fast as she could.

* * *

-xxxxxx-

April was waiting for her father upstairs and heard most of the conversation he had with Lorelai. She felt so bad for everything that happened. It was all her fault that Luke and Lorelai broke up. If she hadn't been so selfish and wanted to meet her father, none of this would have happened. If she hadn't done that stupid science project, Luke wouldn't have known about her. And if Luke hadn't known, he wouldn't have kept things a secret and there wouldn't have been any problems between her father and Lorelai. She knew felt it was her responsibility and knew she had to try to make things right between the two of them. Over the past year she got to know her father and she knew that he wasn't happy right now. She saw how his mood went up when he and Lorelai started talking again. And when she came home from school today, she knew something was up. He was cranky and he threw out customers. And he burned about every burger he tried making.

She pretended to be reading when Luke came upstairs.

"Hey. What are you reading?"

"Just some book for my English class."

"Oh okay…"

"Hey dad?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I ask you a question?" she asked and tried to sound not as timid as she felt.

"Sure."

"Why did you and Lorelai break up?"

"We've talked about this. She and I were just not meant to be. That's all."

"But you still love her."

He shook his head. "No."

"Yes you do. You still care about her. I know it."

"April, I don't want to talk about it. It's late. You should go to sleep." Luke told her.

"But dad," April started to protest.

"No. This is none of your business. It's over between her and me okay. That's all you need to know."

"But..."

He raised his hand, a gesture that told her the conversation was over. Inside she knew that it wasn't, but she also knew that she'd better not protest. So she gave in and put her book aside.

"Goodnight dad."

He sighed "Goodnight April."

April turned of the light and turned on her side, facing the wall. While she tried to fall asleep she started to think about how she could make Luke see that he and Lorelai were meant to be.

**TBC**


	9. Like two magnets

**Thank you so much for your reviews!**

**We don't know if you noticed, but we literally squealed when we saw the new promo, because it has happened for the second time now that we wrote something and later found nearly the exact words in the series. God, we are proud ... ;)

* * *

****Chapter 9 Like two magnets**

When Lorelai came home she was exhausted. All the energy was drained from her body. She wanted to go straight upstairs, take a shower and go to bed and forget about everything that happened the past days, but then her eye caught the blinking light from the answering machine. With a sigh she walked towards the machine and pressed the button.

"You have 5 new messages."

Lorelai sighed again as the first message began playing.

"Lorelai, it's your mother. Where are you? It's already 7 o clock. Rory is here and we're waiting for you. I hope you're on your way."

BEEP

"Lorelai it's your mother again. It's a quarter past 7 now. You know that it's incredible rude not to call when you can't make it for dinner."

BEEP

"Mom, where are you? I tried your cell phone but it went straight to voice mail. Grandma is really worried that you didn't show up for Friday night dinner or call. Call me as soon as you get this message."

BEEP

"Lorelai, answer the phone. I know you're there because your definitely not at dinner. It's after 8 now and I expect to hear why you didn't come to Friday night dinner."

BEEP

"Mom, I'm coming over. I'm really really worried now. Where are you?"

BEEP

Lorelai cursed inwardly. She had totally forgotten it was Friday. She'd been so caught up with everything that's going on. With Christopher and their upcoming divorce, and with Luke not wanting her anymore. She looked through her purse and found her cell phone. It was turned off so obviously the battery was death. She found the charger and turned on her cell phone. There were 5 voice mail messages. Two from Emily and 3 from Rory. All about where she was. She decided to call Rory back first.

Rory picked up on the first ring. "Mom?"

"Yeah it's me."

"Where have you been? We've been trying to call you all night. I was worried sick, and so were grandma and grandpa."

"I'm so sorry. I totally forgot that it was Friday."

"How can you forget that?" Rory thought for a moment and then remembered how her mother left her house that morning. "Look, I'm 5 minutes away from home. I'll talk to you soon okay? You should call grandma and apologize."

"Okay I will. I see you soon honey."

After Lorelai hung up the phone she dialed her parent's number. She didn't really want to tell them why she forgot about Friday night dinner, but knew she had no other choice.

"Emily Gilmore speaking."

"Mom it's me. Lorelai."

"Lorelai? Are you okay? Where have you been?"

"I'm okay. I completely forgot it was Friday. I'm sorry."

"That's no excuse Lorelai. You should have at least called if you couldn't make it to dinner."

"I know. I'm sorry. My life is a bit crazy right now."

"Well so is ours. Your father is sick Lorelai, even though he's doing better. We were telling Rory tonight. She needed you there."

"I know mom. I'm sorry."

"You better have a good excuse Lorelai."

"I have an excuse. You decide whether it's a good one or not."

Emily, already agitated with her daughter, was losing her patients when she heard the tone in her daughter's voice. "You're being rude Lorelai."

"I know. I'm sorry." Lorelai let herself slide down on the floor and leaned against the wall. "You remember where we talked about the other day?"

"Of course I remember."

"Well, I went to talk to Chris and to Luke. Chris and I decided that it's best if we're getting a divorce. He'll contact his lawyer and try to get it over with as soon as possible. He and Gigi moved out today."

"And Luke?"

"Luke was less understanding as Chris. We had two horrible fights. He's not listening to me. I don't know what to do. My life is such a mess right now." She was close to tears now.

"You have to give him some time."

"I don't know. He seemed pretty sure."

"Give him some time."

"I'll try." Lorelai sighed. "I'm really sorry that I missed dinner and that I had you and dad worried. It won't happen again."

"It better not. Goodnight Lorelai."

"Night mom."

When Lorelai put her phone down she saw that Rory was watching her. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough to hear everything from you and dad getting a divorce."

"I'm sorry Rory. I'm sorry things didn't work out between me and your father. Or between Luke and me."

Rory sat down next to her mother. "I don't care that things didn't work out between dad and you. I don't think you were ever meant to be. And as to Luke and you, you just have to give him some time. It's a bit to soon to go running back to him while you just ended your marriage with dad."

"But I love Luke. I always have."

"I know. And Luke loves you too. But he needs some time to process everything. And you have to give him that time, otherwise things may never work out between the two of you."

Lorelai nodded. "Maybe you're right. I think I'll just have to try and give him all the time he needs. He did wait 8 years for me. I can wait for him."

Rory stood up and gave Lorelai a hand to help her up as well. "Let's get you to bed. It's been a long day."

* * *

A few days later April spent her day at Luke's apartment again. She had dragged him out to a museum that day and now they were eating.

Luke hadn't seen Lorelai since the last time she had shown up at the diner and he tried not to show how much this last conversation had shaken him. He still burned the food, threw customers out and was in a general bad mood.

With April though he tried to hold it together and he tried with all he had not to show her how sad he was and how much he missed Lorelai.

He had thought about the talk over and over again, especially at night when her words haunted him in his sleep, but he knew that he couldn't be with her yet. What if she would freak out again? What if she would take Christopher back? And how could he ever trust her love declarations again now that she had told him that she had told Chris she loved him? He didn't know and he wasn't sure where this whole thing could be possibly going, because he simply didn't know how to trust her ever again.

And then there was also the fact that Chris could have given her so much more. They could travel, buy a house, do whatever they want because he had more money then Luke could ever make.

He was still convinced that if they would have been meant for each other, they would have made it. But they didn't since he, Luke Danes, wasn't good enough for her.

"Hey Dad", April interrupted his picking of his food with his fork and staring blankly ahead, deep in thoughts.

"Yes? You need more salt?" he asked.

"No, I there's plenty of salt in it and you know too much salt is not good. But that's not what I wanted to talk about", she stopped her rambling about salt, because that's not really what she wanted to talk about. April concentrated on her food for some time, trying to find the right words to approach the subject.

"April what is it?" Luke asked her, because he now knew something was up and he started to worry.

"Dad, why don't you want to get back together with Lorelai?" she asked bluntly, because she wasn't good at being subtle.

"April I told you already that I don't wanna talk about it", Luke said and lay his fork down on the table.

"But I do!" she insisted.

"Too bad, cause I don't", he told her and stood up, threw his plate in the sink after throwing the food in the trash.

"Okay, then you don't have to talk, but I will. I think it sucks that you don't give Lorelai another chance, because she obviously loves you and you love her," April started but was interrupted by a furious Luke.

"Stop it! This is none of your business and I already told you to stay out of it!" Luke yelled at her and at first April was taken aback, but then she was just as stubborn as he was and she needed to get it off her chest

"But dad it is my business! I was the one who caused all this! It is my fault that you and Lorelai broke up." April was yelling too.

Immediately all anger vanished from Luke's face and it softened "Oh April. It is not your fault okay? It is not! It is my fault and her fault and who knows who else's fault, but not yours. You have nothing to do with it.

"Well if I didn't show up because of this stupid project then you wouldn't be separated. You would be married now, maybe have a baby," April disagreed and Luke sat down on the couch, patted the free space next to him.

"Okay, you win. April, what happened is that I wanted to prove her that I could be a good father without her help. I wanted to do this on my own and I shut her out. I didn't tell her for two months and once she found out and was so great with it, I agreed to postpone the wedding and didn't realize how much I hurt her with it. As I said already I tried to do it on my own and it hurt her, but I didn't see it, because I got in my own head. She called me on it once while we were away for Valentines Day, but I didn't get how deeply hurt she was. I turned her into a quietly sulking suffering woman, who was too scared to call me on my shit, because she was afraid she would lose me. Finally she snapped and gave me an ultimatum. She said it was now or never, and because I am not the fastest guy when it comes to decisions and I always have to think everything over I just told her that I need time, time she couldn't give me anymore. So she resigned and went away. I let her go. I just stood there and let her walk away. The next day I went to her, when I had thought about it and told her we could elope. I had packed all the things I thought we could need and went to her house. She didn't say much but what she said was that she had slept with Rory's father." Luke told April honestly and forgot for a moment that this was his 13 year old daughter and not an adult. But it felt so good to be able to talk to someone and she was so much mature than TJ or Liz.

April listened to all of it and was somehow disgusted by the last part, although she had suspected something like that.

"And then she married him", she concluded.

"And then she married him", Luke nodded sadly.

"But she is getting a divorce now and she wants you back", April said.

"Yeah she wants me back because she is getting a divorce, because her marriage with that guy failed, because he was being him and ruined it again", Luke said.

"Dad, I don't think she wants you because she is getting a divorce. I think she is getting a divorce because she loves you. She just realized that her denial wasn't working and that she still loves you. I mean if I see it from the scientific side it's really stupid that you refuse because it's like with magnets. You two are magnets and you are attracting the other, but the whole time something was standing in between. Now it is gone and still while one magnet is coming closer and closer the other is going backwards, so the space will stay just as big so that they won't come together. That's stupid and against the elements. You should really think about it again", April said.

Luke looked at his daughter and was stunned. She had a point. He had to admit that.

"She loves you and you love her and you both hurt each other but you can fix it. You are both not happy without each other. You just have to try again, cause really it's the only way" April shrugged and stood up from the couch.

"Do you have any leftover pie? I could really use some pie for desert now" she asked him then, because her work was done. It was his turn now.

**TBC**


	10. Ants in my ear

**This is by far our favorite chapter until now, because we were able to surprise each other while writing. We hope you like it, too!

* * *

**

**Chapter 10 : Ants in my ear**

After Luke talked to April time went by fast and the months flew by. Before they knew it, it was May.

He had had to go to court, and even though he got partial custody of April, Anna was allowed to move to New Mexico with his daughter. Luke had April one weekend a month, every other holiday and one month over the summer. He was happy that he had won, but sad that April had moved to New Mexico. Nonetheless he had thrown a party to which all the Stars Hollow citizens were invited, Lorelai included. After the party Luke and Lorelai had talked again and Luke had decided that being friends again would be the best solution for their situation. It was too soon to get back together after everything that had happened.

Slowly things had gone back to normal. To how they were before they had gotten together the first time. Lorelai had started coming to the diner at least once a day for coffee and a meal and often more than once. They went back to their regular banter but there was something extra as well.

They talked about their feelings. Luke talked about how much he missed April now that she had moved. At least Anna allowed April to call him as often as she wanted, but it wasn't the same. He missed her more than he ever thought possible.

* * *

It was a Sunday evening, a weekend at the beginning of May and Luke had just driven April to the airport after one of their weekends together. He drove to the diner in silence but when he stopped in front of the dark building, he figured it was too quiet to be there now. He missed April more than normal after she just left and knew that if he would stay alone right now, all he would do was sit in the dark and drink beer. Something he would regret in the morning. That's when he decided to drive to Lorelai's instead. He hadn't been at her house again, other than to fix her bathroom window two months ago and it had both surprised them back then, how non-awkward it had been.

He parked his car behind hers and got out. He rang the doorbell and waited for a reply. 'Come in.' He heard Lorelai yelling from the inside and he tried the doorknob. When the door opened he stepped inside and took off his coat.

"You have to keep the door locked and at least see who's at the door before you let them in your house", he lectured her and threw his coat over the wardrobe, before he thought about it.

She looked up as she heard his voice.

"Hey Luke, what are you doing here? Didn't you just drive April to the airport?" she asked him, but not as surprised as she should have been when he showed up that casually at her house.

"Yeah I did", he said and sat down next to her on the couch.

"Do you mind if I stay here for a while? The diner seems to quiet without her," he admitted and stretched his legs.

"Of course I don't mind. I was having a movie night and you're more than welcome to join me," she said and smiled, because he looked so familiar in her house, like he had never been gone in the first place.

"What's the theme tonight?" he asked and motioned to the TV.

"Classics. I was just about to put in Casablanca," she told him.

"Fine with me", he shrugged.

"Good. You want something to drink? I have some beer in the fridge" she asked him.

He nodded.

"I'll get it," he said then and stood up.

"You know the way," she smiled and watched how he walked to the fridge. When she watched him walk around her house she was happy they were friends now. She had missed spending time with him and knew that being friends was better than being nothing at all. She knew how much he missed April and was glad he showed up at her doorstep tonight. If he hadn't she most likely would've gone to his apartment but this was better.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked her when he came back and saw the smile on her face.

She hadn't noticed that he had sat down next to her again and looked up.

"Nothing really. Just that I'm happy you decided to come here instead of spending the evening alone at your apartment," she replied honestly.

He nodded. "Me too."

"So, do I have to explain the rules of movie night or do you still remember?" She tried to lighten the mood.

"I remember. As I recall this is the movie we watched on our first movie night."

She smiled when she recalled the memory. "I watched the movie, you fell asleep."

"Not true. I stayed awake during Casablanca, during the next one I fell asleep" he corrected her.

"Hard buddies?" she remembered.

"Right," he agreed and got comfortable on the couch again.

"Are you comfortable because you know you can't move during the movie," she reminded him when he stopped squishing around.

"I know and I'm comfortable," he handed her one of the beer bottles he was holding. "And you?"

"Comfortable also," and with that she started the movie.

During the movie Lorelai unconsciously moved towards Luke. Without realizing she ended up leaning against him. He didn't mind and she was so comfortable, that her had dropped to his shoulder and she fell asleep. When the credits were rolling down the screen she woke up, suddenly realizing which position she was in. She sat up straight on the couch.

"I'm sorry," she said to Luke, who was still awake and didn't seem uncomfortable that she had used him as her pillow. A gesture so simple and still so familiar, that it ran chills up her spine.

He smiled. "That's okay. I fell asleep during our first movie night."

She smiled now too. "What is it with falling asleep during the movie- nights? And this is a good movie, definitely not one to fall asleep"

"I don't know," he raised his shoulders.

She thought for a moment and then said. "I don't think it was the movie that made me tired. I just felt comfortable in the position I was in and ended up falling asleep."

He stared directly into her eyes, stunned by her honesty and how huge this little sentence was for him.

"I was comfortable too, with you in… that position," he admitted quietly and looked at her. He didn't feel hurt, guilt, regret or anything else that had kept him from giving into his feelings these past months. He looked at her and all he could think of was what an amazing woman she was, how incredibly beautiful she was and how much he loved her. He still did, as much as before and if possible even more.

She looked into his eyes and saw something she hadn't seen for a long time. Gone were all the bad feelings from the past year, love and adoration the only things in his eyes. Without realizing it they leaned in and before they knew what was happening their lips touched. Both moaned at the contact and the sensations which ran through their bodies, but both leaned in more. Luke pulled her close when he slung one arm around her neck, the other one around her waist while she had knocked the cap off his head and then her hands held his shirt tight, afraid that he would slip away somehow.

When oxygen became a must again they had to break apart and stared at each other, breathing hard.

"God I missed you," Luke said, still out of breath and cupped her face with his hand, stroked her cheek with his thumb.

"I was here. I was right here waiting for you, all those months," she replied and smiled at him, placed a kiss on his thumb.

"I'm sorry, for making you wait so long." he apologized

"Don't apologize. You needed your time and I respect that. I will wait until you are ready to be with me again. I told you I would wait," she said.

"I am ready. I love you," he said and when Lorelai felt her eyes prick with tears she lunged at him and kissed him again.

* * *

Lorelai woke up the following morning feeling more comfortable than she had in a long time. Opening her eyes she realized why that was. She was lying in Luke's arms. He was still asleep and she watched him for a while and from time to time placed a kiss on his cheek, careful not to wake him.

Then she felt the sudden urge to tell Rory what happened and she untangled herself from Luke. She got out of the bed, making sure Luke wouldn't wake up. Slipping into her bathrobe she watched Luke sleep again for a little while. Then she left the room and went downstairs. While filling the coffee maker she dialed Rory's number. She answered after a few rings.

"Mom? What's wrong? Why are you calling this early?" came the tired voice of her daughter through the phone.

Lorelai looked at the clock and saw it was only 6.30. She grunted as she realized she could have been in bed with Luke at the moment, because it was still so early, but smiled when she thought about him in her bed.

"Mom? Are you there?" Rory brought her back to reality

"Yeah I'm here. I'm sorry if I woke you."

"Uhuh… what's wrong?"

Lorelai smiled. "Nothing is wrong. Everything is absolutely right." She said giddy and nearly giggled into the speaker.

Rory shook her head. She was definitely not awake enough for this. "Mom, I need some more information here."

"Luke and I are back together. He came here yesterday after he brought April to the airport and we watched Casablanca. I ended up falling asleep in his arms and when I woke up and I stared in his eyes there was a moment. Before I knew it we were kissing each other and he said he is ready now and the rest is history."

"That's great mom." Rory sat up in bed, clearly awake now. "This is what you wanted all along. Are you happy?"

"You bet I am." She smiled widely and suddenly felt two arms close around her waist and wet lips on her neck. She giggled as she turned her head backwards, staring into Luke's eyes.

"He's there isn't he?" Rory concluded when she heard the giggle and then the long silence which followed.

"Yeah. You want to talk to him?"

"Nah. Just say hello to him for me okay? I'll call you later. I better get ready for school now that I'm wake. I have tons of stuff to do anyway."

"Okay. I talk to you later."

"Bye mom."

"Bye Rory."

"And mom?"

"Mmm…?" Lorelai said, because Luke's lips had found their way to her neck again and she had realized that he was standing barefoot and only in his boxers in her kitchen.

"I'm happy too."

Lorelai turned off the phone and placed it on the counter. Then she turned in Luke's arms and gave him an appropriate 'good morning kiss', which lasted a while.

"Rory says hello and that she's happy for us." Lorelai told Luke after she broke their kiss and hugged him, put her head on his chest.

He nodded and kissed her again. "I'll call April later today to tell her the news."

"You think she'll be happy?" she asked and looked up at him again.

"I know she will be. She gave me this speech about how you and I are like magnets a couple of months ago."

"What?" Lorelai raised her eyebrows, confused as to what he was talking about.

"Why don't you sit down, then I'll make us breakfast and tell you all about it," he said, gave her another peck and a squeeze and then untangled from her tight grasp to make breakfast.

* * *

The days went by quickly after Luke and Lorelai had gotten back together. It was Thursday now and Luke was supposed to come by with dinner and they would go to the town meeting and tell the town about their reconciliation. When the phone rang she expected it to be Luke.

"Hey, what's keeping you so long?" she asked and smiled, only because she was talking to him.

"Lorelai? It's me Chris." The voice she had least expected said and her face fell.

"Oh. Hey, how are you doing?" she asked, because she was at a loss for what to say.

"I'm great. I'm calling to inform you that our divorce is final," he said and Lorelai let out a breath she wasn't aware she was holding.

"That's good news," she replied.

"Yeah, well, I wouldn't call it good news, but it is news", Chris remarked and some bitterness swung in his voice.

"I know. I am sorry, Chris. I didn't mean to sound so…"

"Cheerful?" he completed.

"Yeah, well… maybe" she said and was a bit ashamed, that the only regret she had was that she had ever gotten married to him, while he was still hung up on the marriage, on her and everything that came with it.

"So how have you been?" he asked then. "You sound happy".

"I am Chris", she admitted quietly.

"Good. I am glad to hear that. Can I ask what makes you so happy? Is it just the end of the marriage or something else?" he asked.

"I'm back together with Luke", she told him after taking a deep breath.

"Oh, okay, that's explains a lot." He said.

"I'm sorry, Chris, I didn't mean to rub it in, but you asked and I'm done lying and pretending", she said.

"It's okay, I'm happy for you", he told her.

"And you? What are you doing?" she asked to keep the awkward small-talk going.

"I am packing our stuff right now, because Gigi and I are moving to Paris", he informed her.

"Wow, so you're back together with Sherry?" she asked him and was relieved when she felt not even a pang of jealousy.

"No, we're not. I just thought that it might be better for Gigi to keep in contact with her mom and I need a change of places as well. Somehow I can't stay here anymore", he said and Lorelai knew what he wanted to tell her with this, the connotation that swung with his words was loud and clear.

"I think you're right. It will be good for her to be near her mother. She's a nice kid, she deserves to be happy", she told him, somehow relieved that he started to think about his daughter finally.

"Well Lor' I have to go and pick up Gigi from her grandmother. Tell Rory I'll call her before we leave so we can see each other before we leave for Paris."

"Okay, I will. Take care Chris"

"You, too! Bye", he said.

"Bye", she replied and hung up and sighed in relief, that this chapter was finally closed now. When she put the phone down she saw Luke standing in the doorway, next to the desk, watching her.

"Hey", he said and although she was sure he knew to whom she had just talked to he didn't seem upset.

"Hey" she replied, slung her arms around his neck and kissed him hello.

"Chris called to tell me that the divorce is final and that he's moving with Gigi to Paris so she can be with her mother", she told Luke and waited for his reaction.

"Good. That's really… good news" he replied and she started to giggle.

That's what I said", she laughed and gave him another kiss, just because she could do that again.

"Mmmh, what smells so heavenly?" she asked then.

"My new after-shave?", he mocked her and hid the bags in his left hand behind his back, while he played with the hem of her shirt with the right one.

"You have a new after-shave? I don't think so. You still smell like you and I hope that will stay that way, 'cause I just love your after-shave", she said and kissed his cheek repeatedly, made her way up to his lips with her own and then kissed him soundly. His right hand moved under her shirt as the kiss quickly escalated, but just as he reached her bra, she snatched the food bags out of his hand and broke the kiss.

"You're so easy", she laughed, gave him one more peck and walked into the kitchen slowly, before Luke caught up with her and held her back by her waist.

"You'll pay later", he whispered into her ear and his hot breath against her ear caused goose bumps on her skin.

"You're being playful and cocky, I like that", she teased him with raised eyebrows when she had found her voice again and together they walked into the kitchen, to eat something.

* * *

After a quick dinner Luke and Lorelai walked to the town meeting together. They sat down in the back and listened to Taylor's weird proposals and waited until Taylor asked the town if anyone had some news they wanted to share with the town. Lorelai raised her hand and stood up, pulling Luke with her.

The room fell silent when the town saw the two walking up onto the stage together.

"Uhm.. we uhm…" Luke started and cleared his throat nervously. Lorelai smiled at that and took his hand in hers, gave it a reassuring squeeze. All eyes were on their joined hands and slowly one after the other inhabitant started to smile.

"My divorce is final and Luke and I are back together", Lorelai announced with a wide smile.

"We knew it!" both Babette and Miss Patty exclaimed and the rest mumbled things like "Finally".

Only Taylor didn't seem too pleased.

"Well, then that brings us back to the same problem we had before: What if the two of them break up again. I mean let's face it, even the engagement didn't stop those two from separating again and Lorelai even got married" Taylor pointed out.

"I don't believe it! Not this again!" Luke said angrily and Lorelai wanted to say something when her cell-phone rang again.

"Oh Lorelai, come on" Luke exclaimed when she showed him the phone and excused herself outside, but then he went back to yelling at Taylor.

"Hello?" she said.

"We have ants" came her mother's voice through the speaker.

"What?" Lorelai asked confused.

"We have ants" Emily said again.

"Well say hello to them for me and offer them a drink", Lorelai remarked dryly.

"Oh Lorelai, please! This is not something you should joke about", Emily lectured her.

"Well, sorry mom, but I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about!" Lorelai laughed.

"I am talking about the fact that we have ants in our kitchen and the storeroom. They are everywhere", Emily yelled into the phone.

"Geez, mom, the ants aren't in my ears, you don't have to scream", Lorelai shot back and rubbed her ear.

"Well, I m sorry, but I'm going crazy here. I wanted to eat a sandwich and opened the fridge and they were everywhere", Emily replied.

"And what do you want me to do? Come and scare them away or take them to my fridge? Sorry mom, but I don't think my fridge will satisfy the needs of your upper-class ants."

"Lorelai, seriously, is it too much of a hustle not to mock me once I call you?" Emily asked and sighed.

"Sorry. But honestly, why do you call me when you have ants in your fridge?" Lorelai asked her and just then Luke stormed out of the dance-studio. When she saw him she waved at him to get his attention and held her hand out for him to take it, which he did. She just rolled her eyes when he raised his eyebrows questioningly.

"Because I thought you might know this problem from the Inn and could give me some advice on what to do", Emily explained.

"Ah, sorry, mom, but we never had ants. When we do, I will call you immediately", she said and leaned back against Luke.

"Ants?" he whispered in her ear and she turned around and looked at him.

"My parents have ants in their kitchen and my mom wants to know what she can do about it" Lorelai explained to him.

"Put baking powder on the traces of them", Luke shrugged.

"Did you hear that mom? You should put baking powder on their traces", Lorelai told her mother and once again leaned back into Luke's arms.

"Who was that?" Emily asked immediately.

"Who was what?" Lorelai played clueless.

"Who said "baking powder"?" Emily made it clear.

"Well… that was Luke", Lorelai informed her and couldn't keep herself from smiling when Luke tightened his arms around her.

"Luke? Why is Luke with you?"

"Because we're back together mom", Lorelai smiled widely now and Luke placed a soft kiss on her sleeve.

"Oh really. Then we'll see the two of you tomorrow at dinner. Goodbye Lorelai" Emily said and hung up. Lorelai's smile froze on her face.

"What?" asked Luke when he saw her expression.

"Dinner, tomorrow, you have to be there", she informed him.

"Ah Jeez!" he exclaimed and she had to smile again, because that was so typically Luke and it was so good to have him back.

**TBC**


	11. Epilogue

**Thank you for reading!**

**Laura and Jessi

* * *

****Epilogue **

Lorelai started to wake up and tried to turn around in order to fall back asleep, but something stopped her. She slowly opened her eyes and smiled, knowing it was Luke who was holding her. She felt his lips on her neck and heard a soft "Morning."

She tried to turn around once more and this time he let her. She turned on her left side and faced him. "Morning." After that she leaned in for a good morning kiss.

"How are you feeling this morning?" he asked her.

"Great. Better than the last few months", she kissed him again.

"Good" he nodded and she smiled slightly as he moved a few hairs out of her face.

"You're beautiful, you know", he told her then and placed a kiss on the tip of her nose.

"You sure? I think I'm fat," she protested. He shook his head.

"No. You're beautiful." He kissed her lips and moved his hands to her stomach. "You're carrying my kids. You couldn't be more beautiful" he assured her.

"Just wait until I'm nine months pregnant and you won't fit in the same bed as me anymore," she said, only half joking.

"I highly doubt that'll happen. But if it does, I'll buy us a bigger bed," he shrugged.

She slapped his shoulder playfully. "Hey."

"What? You're the one who said it," he replied, but smiled as well.

She smiled widely now as she looked directly into his eyes. "I love you."

"I love you too Lorelai." Then he disappeared under the comforter and she felt his lips against her stomach. "I love you, too."

"You big old sap," she said with a grin.

"Hey." His head showed up from under the comforter. "I'm not."

"Oh come here." She carefully pulled him towards her so that she could kiss him again. "Did I tell you lately how much I love waking up next to my husband?" she asked and smoothed his hair which was sticking out now.

"Occasionally, yes."

"Good. I don't want you to forget."

"I promise I won't." he nodded.

She smiled and closed her eyes. "I'm still tired."

"Well, you are seven months pregnant with my children."

"Yeah. So it's your fault then." She shot back.

He shook his head, but remained silent, because he knew this discussion would lead nowhere.

"What time are your parents and Rory and Logan coming for dinner?"

"Some time around 6.30. We're having dinner first and do the gift thing afterwards."

"Okay. Why don't you try and get some more sleep, I'm going downstairs to see if April is awake already and make her breakfast." She only nodded.

"I'll come down when I wake up. Then maybe I can take April to a movie this afternoon so we won't be in your way?" Lorelai said and yawned.

"You don't have to leave the house," Luke told her, it was important to him, that she knew she wasn't in the way.

"I know. But they're playing the great Christmas classic, Little Lord Fauntleroy, in the bookstore at 2 pm. I'd really like to see it. And I'm sure April will love it too. Rory was her age when she saw that movie the first time and we've watched it every year since. Until 2 years ago. Anyway, I'd love to take April if that's okay with you." Lorelai explained.

"Of course it is. Now go back to sleep." He kissed her and watched her for a few seconds as she slowly drifted back to sleep.

* * *

At 6.30 pm exactly the door bell rang. April went to open it and found Richard and Emily at the other side.

"Hello April." Emily said as she entered the house. "Are Rory and Logan here yet?"

"They arrived about ten minutes ago," April told her after checking her watch.

"Good, good. How are you doing?" Emily asked and hung her coat up.

"I'm great. Thanks," April replied, not a bit shy, because she had met the Gilmore's on several occasions over the last year.

"We're glad you're here for Christmas. We missed you at Thanksgiving," Emily informed her and took Richards coat.

April smiled. "I'm happy to be here too. Thank you Emily."

"Hello April." Richard said "How's school going?" he wanted to know.

"Very well sir. I have this great science teacher this year. He lets us do all sorts of tests. It's really great," April smiled and together they walked into the living room.

"I'm glad to hear you're doing okay April." He smiled as he followed them into the living room.

After saying hello to everybody they all went into the kitchen for dinner. Luke prepared a big meal that would make Sookie jealous and was proud of it, which Lorelai saw by the look in his eyes. She resisted the urge to tease him and gave him a kiss instead.

"Luke that was delicious", Emily complimented and the others nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, he's such a doll," Lorelai said.

"I'm not a doll'", Luke huffed and glared at her.

"Oh baby, come on", Lorelai said playfully and patted his hand.

"Speaking of babies, didn't you want to announce something?!" Luke asked her, still with the same stern expression.

"Oh yeah right", Lorelai said, took his hand, placed her free one on her belly and started to smile brightly.

"Because this is our first Christmas as a family, we though we'd let you know, who else will soon join the family, so you can start buying appropriate presents".

"Lorelai," Luke interrupter her, rolled his eyes, but smiled.

"Well, we thought we'd let you in on the secret of what the sex of these two are. And with sex I don't mean the hypothetical sex they might like to have in twenty years from now or something…" she babbled and Luke groaned and gave her hand a squeeze.

"Okay, long story short: We'll have a boy and a girl", Lorelai then informed them and a happy chatter started, but Luke and Lorelai were too focused on staring and smiling at each other, that they didn't hear it.

* * *

After dinner was over and all the dishes were put in the dishwasher, it was time to open gifts. Each person bought one gift for everybody and they were all placed underneath the Christmas tree. Luke and Lorelai sat down on the couch next to each other and as close as possible. Lorelai had tried to sit down on Luke's lap, but he had stopped her and had hissed "Your parents" in her ear. Emily sat down on the couch as well and Richard sat down in the arm chair. The others sat down on the floor.

"Who wants to go first?" Lorelai asked impatiently and bounced excited on the couch.

"Stop bouncing, I don't want these two to be born tonight", Luke lectured her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"It's not like they are just going to pop out of me", Lorelai giggled.

"Ah Geez, I know that, but just stop okay?!" Luke said and the rest laughed.

"Why don't these two go first?" Rory suggested.

"These two? They don't even have names yet but they already have presents?!" Luke asked.

"That's so cool, did you hear that babies?" Lorelai smiled and patted her stomach.

"Luke feel, they're kicking, they understood me!" she said then and placed his hand on her stomach as well.

"No, what they are feeling is their crazy mother bouncing up and down on the couch", he said, but kept his hand on her stomach.

"See, now that was a strong kick, I bet he is disagreeing with you", Lorelai said, leaned back and put her hand on top of Luke's.

He smiled and kissed her on top of her head. "How do you know that's the boy?"

She raised her shoulders. "I just do. Now how about those presents?" She looked at Rory impatiently. "Gimme, gimme!"

With a smile Rory stood up and handed one of the presents to her mother. She handed the other one to Luke.

Lorelai ripped the paper off the present while Luke took time to do it. In the end they each held a rattle. "This is great. Thank you."

"We didn't know the sex of the babies at the time, so they're almost the same. I can go back and exchange it for a pink and a blue one if you like."

"Nah. These are great. Thanks Rory."

Rory nodded. "So, who wants to go next?"

They all unwrapped their gifts and in the end there was only one package left underneath the Christmas tree.

"Who does that one belong too?" Lorelai looked around.

Luke stood up from the couch to get the present. "It belongs to you."

"But I already got so many presents." She was smiling like a kid though.

"There's one more." He sat down next to her on the couch again and handed her the present. "This is for you."

"Thank you." Lorelai whispered as she unwrapped the gift. She was surprised to find a video tape inside. "This isn't the tape with, well you know."

"Lorelai." Luke sighed as his face became bright red.

She smiled as she kissed his cheek. "I love it when you do that. Tell me, what's on this tape?"

He looked down as he said. "It's our wedding video."

"It is? I thought the tapes were all ruined."

"So did I. But Kirk wasn't the only one who filmed at our wedding. I just found out a couple of weeks ago that TJ brought his video camera and filmed parts of the ceremony and the party afterwards. It's not perfect quality but at least he took the lid of the camera."

"Can we watch it now?"

"Of course." He handed the tape to Rory who put it in the VCR. Logan turned on the television and handed the remote to Luke. As soon as he hit the play button Lorelai's face filled the screen. She was standing at the end of the aisle in her beautiful white wedding dress. Then the screen turned to Luke who was waiting with the groomsmen and the bridesmaids at the other side of the aisle. The biggest smile could be seen on his face as he watched Lorelai walk down the aisle. His eyes were focused on nothing but her.

In the next shot Luke and Lorelai were exchanging vows. Her eyes were filled with tears as she promised her love to Luke and he did the same to her. When the minister pronounced them husband and wife a loud crying could be heard. It was obviously TJ.

They all laughed at this and Luke turned to face Lorelai. Her eyes were filled with tears through her laughter. She smiled at him. "Thank you so much. This is the best present you could have given me. I wish I'd given you a present this perfect."

"But you already did." He placed his hand on her stomach and smiled. She gave him a soft kiss and snuggled into his arms, laced her fingers through his on her pregnant stomach, where their babies were sitting safely and then looked around the room.

This really was it. Not pretend, but honest and for real this time. Her dream had come true.

**The end**

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